I finally made a potato knish and it was a hit with everyone who tried it. Think savory mashed potatoes enclosed in a crispy puff pastry crust and you have a major comfort food. This very easy knish recipe is perfect for a crowd. Served with a mustard horseradish sauce, this potato recipe is filling and comforting.
I did not grow up where there were potato knishes in the grocery stores.
For that matter I did not grow up where there was even a deli.
So truth be told I have no idea where I first heard of a potato knish.
It was probably from a Jewish cookbook of which I have many. And then when I was older I remember seeing frozen potato knishes in the grocery.
Yes, I tried them, but guess I wasn't that impressed.
Fast forward to now and I finally tried a good knish at our local Jewish grocery in Denver and thought I should explore this recipe again.
After all, potatoes are one of my favorite foods.
Table of contents
Knish Questions
A knish is a baked buttery pastry often filled with mashed potatoes or kasha, both of which are filling foods. They are usually shaped as individual rounds, meant to be a handheld meal. Now they are filled with most anything and can even be found fried.
The knish is from Eastern Europe and came to the US in the early 1900's. The first knish bakery opened in 1910 in the lower East side of NYC and remains a family owned business today. One day I hope to try these famous knishes!
Then there is the Coney Island knish that can be found frozen and is shaped like a square.
I am not an expert but this I will say... The dough on a knish should be crispy and flaky. It should contain a well seasoned filling that can hold up to a schmear of brown mustard.
A knish is cheap to make and very filling. Sold as a street food from carts, it was easy to turn a profit (if that's easy!).
What I Learned
Like I mentioned, I didn't grow up eating knishes.
The first thing I learned is that they should be served with brown mustard.
This might explain why the few times I have had a knish I found them lacking in flavor.
So of course, I made a brown mustard spread using horseradish, sour cream, mustard and a dollop of mayo.
I might also mention that this is a great dip for pretzels!
This is a fine idea for a dairy meal but if you use duck fat as you will see this knish recipe uses, you should only use a combination of mustard, horseradish and mayo and skip the sour cream!
Yes, this Jewish knish recipe has duck fat! Horrors, but I didn't grow up eating kosher, though I do try to follow dietary laws for Shabbat and holidays. For some reason I have a hard time finding chicken fat where I live.
Duck fat adds flavor but if you keep kosher, just use olive oil or perhaps even a garlic olive oil to add extra flavor.
Also make sure your pastry does not contain butter if you are serving this with a meat course and want to keep kosher.
I used Jus-Rol puff pastry, which has no butter or dairy products, and there is no need to roll it further. It also comes on on its own parchment paper.
How To Make This Jewish Knish Recipe
This is a very simple recipe! It begins with mashed potatoes which you could buy from the grocery store, but you know I didn't do that!
This is also a great recipe to use leftover mashed potatoes.
I began with Russet potatoes but Yukon Golds work also. Make your mashed potatoes and then stir in seasonings and caramelized onions.
MY SECRET?? Adding spicy brown mustard and onion soup mix to the potatoes. I like FLAVOR!
Some may say my recipe is not a true knish-and it isn't. This is rolled more like a strudel.
This is not a sponsored post, but I must tell you I love Jus-Rol puff pastry. It is so easy to use and keeping it on hand in the fridge is so much better than thawing overnight-which I always forget to do!
So take your pastry and spread half the potato filling lengthwise about halfway in the middle. Roll up like a strudel, chill, brush with egg wash, score the pastry and bake.
Making one big knish is much quicker than making lots of little knishes!
As my father used to say, " Why potchke?"
In other words: Why fuss or mess around wasting time when you don't have to?
What To Serve With A Knish
A knish can be eaten as a snack, but don't forget the mustard.
It can also be sliced and served as an appetizer and served with dips and other noshes.
I made this for Break The Fast and it was served with lox and bagels.
Serve with brisket or chicken as a side dish for the main course.
Serve for a simple lunch with a salad or even serve with a bowl of soup.
So tell me-how do you knish? I'd love hearing your story and memories of this iconic Jewish dish.
I'd love to hear if you make this recipe!
Please share a review or rate the recipe,
and be sure to tag me on social!
Recipe
One Big Potato Knish
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes*
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 24 Servings 1x
- Category: Appetizers/Side Dish
- Cuisine: Jewish
Description
I finally made a potato knish and it was a hit with everyone who tried it. Think mashed potatoes enclosed in a crispy puff pastry and you have the perfect comfort food.This very easy knish recipe is perfect for a crowd. Served with a mustard horseradish sauce, this potato recipe is filling and comforting.
Ingredients
2 T olive oil, duck fat or schmaltz
4 c diced onion
2 garlic cloves minced
3 lbs Russets or Yellow Finn peeled
1 egg
2 T duck fat, olive oil or schmaltz for mashing potatoes
¾ t fresh ground black pepper
½ shaken envelope of Lipton's onion soup mix
1 t spicy brown mustard or more
2 sheets puff pastry (Jus-Rol) is what I used
Egg wash is 1 egg and 2 T of water beaten together
Sesame seeds
Mustard Sauce
⅓ c brown mustard
2 T horseradish or to taste or not at all
½ c sour cream (Just make a mixture of horseradish, mayonnaise and mustard if you are doing dairy)
2 T mayonnaise
Instructions
Peel potatoes, cut them into chunks, and place in pot with salted water covering the potatoes by about an inch. Bring to a boil covered on medium high heat. Uncover and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer about 15-20 minutes, or until they are cooked through when pierced with a fork.
After draining, place them back on turned off burner for about 3 minutes to dry out.
While the potatoes are boiling, heat the fat of your choice in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook while stirring occasionally until the onions caramelize and some of them have turned brown. Stir in the minced garlic and let cook a few minutes, being careful not to burn.
Mash potatoes with 2 T of fat of your choice and stir in one egg. Add salt, pepper and onion soup mix along with the mustard. Remember this is your recipe. If you want it saltier, spicier and more mustard, do not be afraid to add! Stir in the cooled onion mixture.
At this point I refrigerated the potato mixture overnight. However if you are continuing, unroll the puff pastry, keeping it on the parchment paper. Divide the mixture approximately in half and spread lengthwise down the edge of the pastry. Roll up lengthwise, shaping as you go. Repeat with the other sheet of pastry. Chill in fridge about 20 minutes.
Score with sharp knife into diagonal sections without cutting through pastry roll.
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 425 about 30 minutes or until golden.
Serve with just mustard or make the above mustard horseradish sauce.
Notes
I made my potato mixture the day before baking and stored in the fridge.
After baking the next day, I kept on the counter overnight. I covered it loosely after it had cooled.
The next day I reheated at 350 degrees about 15 minutes and then sliced the knish.
Leftover knishes can then be refrigerated and kept up to 5 days but reheat in oven again until crispy.
These can also be wrapped and frozen after baking. Let thaw in fridge and then reheat at 350 until crispy and warm.
They can also be sliced into serving pieces and then frozen, making it easier to grab a knish for on the go! In this case I would thaw on the defrost temperature of the microwave and then bake as directed to heat up.
Baked knishes can also be served at room temperature but I prefer them warm.
Recipe can be halved.
More Potato Recipes
Onion Garlic Potato Kugel with Duck Fat
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