• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Potato Knishes

Makes 27

What samosas are to Indians, knishes are to Jews. New York City delis are famous for their knishes (pronounced kuh-NISH-es), which is the Yiddish word for “cakes.” These baked or fried pastries can be made into bite-size appetizers (as they are here) or sandwich-size side dishes. They can be filled with cabbage, meat, or cheese, but kasha and mashed potato are the most common fillings. Chicken fat is the preferred medium for sautéing the onions that flavor the filling, but any cooking oil works just fine.

1½ pounds russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

4 tablespoons butter

¼ cup chicken fat or any vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ (17-ounce) packages puff pastry, thawed

Spicy mustard, for serving

1 Lightly oil a half sheet pan.

2 Cover the potatoes with cold salted water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return to the saucepan; add the butter.

3 Meanwhile, melt the chicken fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Scrape the onion into the potatoes and mash well. Season generously with salt and pepper.

4 Remove the pastry sheets from the refrigerator one at a time (chilled pastry is easier to work with). Cut each sheet into nine equal squares. Stretch each square to form a much larger square about 1/16 inch thick. Drop a rounded tablespoon of the filling in the center of each square. Fold over two opposite sides of the dough, then fold over the two ends to form a neat square parcel. Place seam-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat until all the pastry and filling are used. Transfer the formed knishes to the freezer while you preheat the oven to 400°F.

5 Bake the knishes for about 20 minutes (30 minutes if completely frozen), until golden brown. Serve warm with spicy mustard.

Kitchen Notes: These snacks freeze beautifully, so don’t worry if this recipe makes more than you need. Freeze extras, unbaked or baked. Baked leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350 °F oven for about 20 minutes.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

When you want to cut down on the fat but still retain a rich flavor, buttermilk should do the trick. These mashed potatoes are light on the butter and heavy on the creamy goodness. Peeling is optional, but not at all necessary when you use a thin-skinned potato. Likewise the garlic is optional; I always add garlic to my mashed potatoes because it adds a buttery note.

1½ pounds thin-skinned potatoes (Yukon Golds are recommended), cut into 2-inch chunks

2 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Cover the potatoes and the garlic, if using, with cold salted water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil gently until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and then drain.

2 Return the potatoes to the pan. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the potatoes dry out a little (too much moisture will dilute their flavor).

3 Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or beat with a hand mixer. Beat in the buttermilk and butter until thoroughly incorporated. If the potatoes seem dry, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, or keep the potatoes warm, covered, in a double boiler over hot water for up to 1 hour.

Kitchen Note: It is fine to use russet or baking potatoes for this recipe, but peel the potatoes before cooking.

Potato-Stuffed Pierogi

Makes about 36

Winter is a good time to vanquish a fear of dough, and delicious pierogi are a great place to start. These potato-stuffed (or sauerkraut-stuffed) dumplings are found throughout eastern Europe and may be served as a snack, appetizer,