Cheese Knishes
Knishes are a traditional Jewish Ashkenazi dish brought to North America during the first waves of immigration at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The crust is often made from a stretch dough, but this version, made with butter, is a delicate pastry that bakes into very thin layers - fun to peel apart if you're a kid! Knishes can also be filled with potato, kasha (buckwheat), ground peas or ground meat. Freeze them unbaked and let them thaw on the counter before popping into the oven.
This recipe came from Nellie Zaidman, my late mother, and I've made hundreds - thousands?- of knishes over the years for family and friends. "Knishes are delicious" was our chant - it will be yours, too.
More cottage cheese-based recipes: Cheese Blintzes, Cheese Pie, or try Tourtes de Blettes.
Ingredients for the Dough
4 c. flour
1 / 4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 / 2 lb. butter
2 eggs
1 – 1 1/4 c. lukewarm water
Mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder, Combine with the butter until mixture is crumbly. Add the eggs and mix, then stir in the water. The mixture should be very sticky. For best results, chill the dough thoroughly - 1 hour to overnight - before rolling out on a covered or floured board (see below). Cover and chill any dough waiting to be used.
Ingredients for the Filling
800 g. dry cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
2 eggs
-1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Mix the cheese, eggs, sugar and salt together.
Divide the dough into equal parts to make rolling easier. Refrigerate any dough waiting to be used. Roll the dough as thin as possible into a rectangle (e.g. 8-10" x 18-20") on a floured board. Place the cheese in a long row along the edge and roll up. Cut with a floured hand, twist the ends to close the openings, pinching the dough together if necessary. Flatten the bottom side.
(If you want to freeze these for future meals, now's the time to store them in a greased container. Thaw completely before baking).
Place the knishes on a greased pan. Put a dollop of butter on top or brush the top of each knish with melted butter before baking at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until light brown.
Serving suggestions:
Knishes are a traditional Jewish Ashkenazi dish brought to North America during the first waves of immigration at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The crust is often made from a stretch dough, but this version, made with butter, is a delicate pastry that bakes into very thin layers - fun to peel apart if you're a kid! Knishes can also be filled with potato, kasha (buckwheat), ground peas or ground meat. Freeze them unbaked and let them thaw on the counter before popping into the oven.
This recipe came from Nellie Zaidman, my late mother, and I've made hundreds - thousands?- of knishes over the years for family and friends. "Knishes are delicious" was our chant - it will be yours, too.
More cottage cheese-based recipes: Cheese Blintzes, Cheese Pie, or try Tourtes de Blettes.
Ingredients for the Dough
4 c. flour
1 / 4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 / 2 lb. butter
2 eggs
1 – 1 1/4 c. lukewarm water
Mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder, Combine with the butter until mixture is crumbly. Add the eggs and mix, then stir in the water. The mixture should be very sticky. For best results, chill the dough thoroughly - 1 hour to overnight - before rolling out on a covered or floured board (see below). Cover and chill any dough waiting to be used.
Ingredients for the Filling
800 g. dry cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
2 eggs
-1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Mix the cheese, eggs, sugar and salt together.
Divide the dough into equal parts to make rolling easier. Refrigerate any dough waiting to be used. Roll the dough as thin as possible into a rectangle (e.g. 8-10" x 18-20") on a floured board. Place the cheese in a long row along the edge and roll up. Cut with a floured hand, twist the ends to close the openings, pinching the dough together if necessary. Flatten the bottom side.
(If you want to freeze these for future meals, now's the time to store them in a greased container. Thaw completely before baking).
Place the knishes on a greased pan. Put a dollop of butter on top or brush the top of each knish with melted butter before baking at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until light brown.
Serving suggestions:
- Sour cream or yogurt and fruit
- Lemon rice and a vegetable or a salad