Knishes are made of savory fillings enveloped in a flaky, soft dough, formed into a ball and baked or fried until golden. A great knish is a symphony of textures: flaky, soft, and bursting with fillings ranging from meat to buckwheat.
My favorite kind is a potato and onion knish with a heavy seasoning of black pepper. They appear at luncheons, Friday night dinners, brunches, or on the go with a dollop of deli mustard. No matter the filling, knishes taste like comfort and remind me of sharing a meal with my grandparents.
A Rich History
Knishes have been quintessential New York street food for nearly 100 years, appearing on the menus of every Jewish deli and stacked high on street carts dotting the city. It’s not hard to imagine why knishes are the ultimate handheld comfort food since they’re chock full of starchy potatoes and carbs.
Knishes are of Jewish and Eastern European descent and gained popularity in North America when Jewish immigrants brought them to New York and opened knisheries in the early 1900s. These knish shops helped the Jewish population launch into society and make a better life for themselves.
Délice Maison / Micah Siva
Tips for Making the Perfect Potato Knish
Make it in stages: Knishes can be labor intensive, so break it into steps. Make the dough and the filling up to 3 days in advance and chill in the fridge.Season liberally: Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper, the potatoes can take it!Chill the dough: Chilled dough is easier to handle than room temperature dough.Roll it thin: Don’t be afraid to roll the dough too thin. You’ll wrap it around the filling, and a thin dough means more flaky layers around the potatoes.
Put Your Own Spin On the Knish
These potato knishes are classic but also easy to tweak with different fillings, a shortcut dough, and more:
Cook the onions in shmaltz (chicken fat) for added flavor
Short on time? Roll in puff pastry for a shortcut version that still tastes delicious. You can swap the potato filling for leftover mashed potatoes , too.
Experiment with fillings like sweet potato and roasted garlic, spinach and ricotta cheese, or mashed squash and ginger for a new take on the classic knish.
Délice Maison / Micah Siva
Classic Jewish Deli-Style Recipes
