Beef and Sweet Potato Knishes

After a few months of blogging, I have come to the conclusion that Jewish food (unlike the Jewish people) is just not all that attractive. Falafel– rather unphotogenic. Matzah Ball Soup– a bit homely. Latkes – wouldn’t win a beauty contest. Luckily, what these treats lack in devilish good looks, they make up ten-fold in deliciousness. In this theme of brown mushy foods, I bring you the knish. A knish is a Russian doughy dumpling, filled with awesomeness. Kind of like a Jewish empanada. Traditionally, knishes contain meat, potatoes, or cheese. But the possibilities are endless! I decided to go with a little from column A, and a little from column B- a beef and sweet potato blend. These make an excellent appetizer, and dare I say Super Bowl treat? Knishes would fit right in between Bagel Bites and mini corn dogs, their equally as unsightly gentile cousins.

First, mix up the flour and baking powder. Then add in salt, oil, water and eggs. Mix that sucker up until you have a workable dough.

Now, time to make the filling of your choice. Or in this case, my choice: beef and sweet potatoes. First, chop up your onion. Bake or microwave your sweet potato, and scoop out the inside.

Combine onions, sweet potato, beef, egg, salt and pepper. A meat grinder could get this mixture a bit more fine, but alas I do not yet have that attachment for my Kitchenaid. A girl can dream! Then, add enough gravy to make the beef moist (ew). Bubbe would have made her own gravy, but for the amount used in this recipe, I thought store bought would do the trick. Don’t judge! (And don’t look at the ingredient list.)

Roll out your dough until it is very thin- about 1/8 inch. Now, there are almost as many ways to make knishes as there are fillings. I used a 3 inch circle cookie cutter to make appetizer sized knishes.

Cut out as many circles as you can with the dough, and add a dollop of meat to each. Then scrunch up the sides and fold it in so you have a little meaty dumpling as so.

It’s like a little savory present for your mouth! Sorry I said that. Anyhoo, brush each knish with an egg wash. And bake until filling is cooked and the crust is a golden brown.

Go Packers! Or whatever.

Beef and Sweet Potato Knishes

Amy

4.43 from 7 votes

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Servings 10 (2 knishes per serving)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 3 eggs and 1 egg white
• 1/2 pound beef
• 1 small onion
• 1 small baked sweet potato
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup gravy

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix together flour and baking powder.
• Add in salt, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup water, 1 egg and 1 egg white.
• Mix until you have a workable dough. Set aside.
• Mix together beef, chopped onions, 1 egg, sweet potato, salt, pepper and gravy.
• Roll out your dough until it is thin, about a 1/8 inch.
• Cut out as many circles as you can, and add a dollop of filling to each one.
• Scrunch up the sides and fold together to make dumplings.
• Take 1 egg, and brush on all knishes.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with foil until the filling is cooked and dough is golden brown.

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