CHEESE POTATO KNISHES

Cheese Potato Knishes image

How to make Cheese Potato Knishes

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 55

Ingredients

Knishes
Potato Filling (Instant)
1-1/3 cups instant mashed potato buds or flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small onion
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
1-1/3 cups water
Dice onion and sauté in butter in small frying pan over medium heat. Set aside.
Bring water, milk, and salt to a boil in small pot over high heat.
Remove from heat and add potato buds or flakes stirring just until combined. Let stand 30 seconds to absorb moisture and fluff with a fork.
Stir in sautéed onion and butter.
Potato Filling (From Scratch)
2 lbs. Idaho, Yukon Gold, or russet potatoes
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I recommend over-seasoning the mashed potatoes a bit to offset the blandness of the crusty dough casing)
Peel potatoes and cut into 4 to 6 chunks, depending on the size of the potato.
Just cover them with cold, lightly salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat down to medium high and continue to boil until a fork goes though the largest chunks without resistance, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté the onion in butter until translucent.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes to dry out somewhat.
Mash or whip while still warm, adding onions and butter, cream, and salt and pepper. (Never use a food processor to mash potatoes!)
Refrigerate for several hours before using to fill knishes.
Cheese Filling
2 cups farmers' cheese
1 egg
pinch of sugar and salt
Mix cheese filling by combining ingredients in a small bowl, breaking up cheese curds with a fork.
Glaze
1 beaten egg
1 Tbsp. oil
Stir together in a small bowl with a pastry brush.
Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 large or extra large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cups lukewarm water
Non-stick cooking spray
Mix all dough ingredients (except spray) together in a bowl. (You can use an electric mixer at this stage.)
Empty out onto a well-floured surface. Knead into a ball with floured hands.
Cut dough in half and knead each ball separately, again.
Roll out with rolling pin on a well-floured surface into a very thin square shape.
Spray very lightly with non-stick spray.
Place filling one inch from the top of the dough in a strip about 1-1/2 inches wide along the top.
Take the top of the dough and roll over the filling, jelly roll fashion. Then roll twice more and cut off with scissors or pastry wheel from the rest of the dough.
Repeat process until all dough and filling are used up.
Pinch ends of dough together.
Cut strips of filled dough at 1-1/2 inch intervals with the side of your hand, pushing the piece away from the others slightly while pressing down.
Pinch to seal each end of knish. (The motion of your hand in cutting should just about seal the dough all by itself and a rounded shape results from patting the corners in your palm.)
Place on non-stick spray-coated baking pan and brush with glaze.
Bake at 325°F. until golden brown approximately 35 minutes.
These freeze very well and can be reheated in the oven at 350°F.
Makes about 40 small knishes-20 cheese, 20 potato.

Steps:

Mix all dough ingredients (except spray) together in a bowl. (You can use an electric mixer at this stage.)
Empty out onto a well-floured surface. Knead into a ball with floured hands.
Cut dough in half and knead each ball separately, again.
Roll out with rolling pin on a well-floured surface into a very thin square shape.
Spray very lightly with non-stick spray.
Place filling one inch from the top of the dough in a strip about 1-1/2 inches wide along the top.
Take the top of the dough and roll over the filling, jelly roll fashion. Then roll twice more and cut off with scissors or pastry wheel from the rest of the dough.
Repeat process until all dough and filling are used up.
Pinch ends of dough together.
Cut strips of filled dough at 1-1/2 inch intervals with the side of your hand, pushing the piece away from the others slightly while pressing down.
Pinch to seal each end of knish. (The motion of your hand in cutting should just about seal the dough all by itself and a rounded shape results from patting the corners in your palm.)
Place on non-stick spray-coated baking pan and brush with glaze.
Bake at 325°F. until golden brown approximately 35 minutes.
These freeze very well and can be reheated in the oven at 350°F.
Makes about 40 small knishes-20 cheese, 20 potato.