Holiday Definition of the Week – Knish

“Can I have a nish?” “A what?” “A nish.” You look at the bewildered faces around you and try to explain what you want. “You know, those dough covered things in the case there.” “Ah, a knish! Here you go.”

Photo by Su-Lin/Flickr

Wait a second. You don’t say k-nife when you talk about your utensils. Why do you say k-nish when you’re talking about a delicious goody filled piece of dough? As far as I can tell, that is one of life’s mysteries. I’m sure it is related to the way some language in Eastern Europe pronounces words, though.

The important thing is that a knish is a delicious little starchy thing and I try not to indulge in them too often! You can bake them instead of going with the unhealthier fried version, but it is kind of like baked versus fried French fries…

Originally, knishes were simply mashed potatoes in some dough, but you know we couldn’t leave it at that. No, now you can get your little potato dumpling packed with an assortment of delicious fillings, like cheese, spinach, or meat.

You can eat them any time, but they are particularly popular during Passover and, if you’re in New York city right now, quite a few street vendors will be serving them. Don’t have any street vendors or restaurants near you serving these tasty dumplings? Try this recipe for Passover knishes. (If you are not worried about a Kosher table, just substitute eggs for the egg substitute.) Or, try this Phyllo dough version that is sure to have your cholesterol screaming “uncle” by the third helping!

(I’m thinking to try the Phyllo dough version for Easter dinner, but if you are planning a Passover meal, you may want to take a close look at the ingredients. I’m pretty sure dairy and meat can’t mix. Does anyone know if you can have butter and chicken broth in the same dish and still be Kosher?)