What Is A Knish And What Does It Taste Like?

When you want a quick pick-me-up and crave something casual, nothing can keep you moving through your day like a knish. Pieces of dough get stuffed and baked with potatoes and onions, while others get filled with buckwheat kasha, making for the ultimate carb-heavy snack (via Spoon University). These breads can trace their lineage back to Ukranian, Polish, and Swedish immigrants and have heavy ties to the Jewish food world. New York City delis introduced the inner-city Jewish community to these breads, and from there, they spread throughout all of America. Starting from 1910, knishes have scattered across America as families moved and eventually became a staple in many households.

While you might see puffy street knishes filled with a variety of carb-heavy goodies at your local bakery, the frozen knishes at your local supermarket should have a different look and taste. The frozen varieties come in a square shape and have typically seen the bottom of a deep fryer. You can also find these snacks with a ton of different fillings, like cheese and fruit or even mushrooms and spinach. The ingredients that go into these breads pop up at any local grocer, making knishes an optimal comfort food and fairly easy to come by if you have an inclination to do some baking.

You don't need any fancy ingredients to make your classic knish. According to Taste of Home, you can make the bun out of a simple yeasted flour and use an egg wash for a decadent color once baked. The filling consists of mashed potatoes, making the basic knish a simple yet satisfying experience. Once you master the basics, you can let your imagination take you anywhere, and you can even experiment with new fillings. These starchy, filled breads combine the fun of eating a bun with the ease and comfort of any other street food.

If you can score some fresh knishes in your area, prepare your taste buds and stomach for a special treat. A freshly prepared knish can truly hit the spot when you crave some carbs and definitely warrants a trip to your local bakery or deli to pick one up. It might take some effort to locate, but the search definitely pays off with one of the best baked goods you can ever sink your teeth into.