Jewish Meat Knishes Recipe (2024)

For the Knish Dough:

• 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Meat Filling:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

• 1 1/2 poundsground beef, preferably 80/20

• 5 ounces pastrami, coarsely chopped

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 1 tablespoon water

Make the Knish Dough

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the butter, cream cheese, and sour cream until smooth and well combined, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Add flour and salt and pulse to blend.

   

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap.

   

4. Using floured hands, form into a ball and wrap tightly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

   

Make the Meat Filling

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

   

3. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 9 minutes.

   

4. Drain the mixture of excess fat. Add the pastrami and mix well.
   

   See Also

   Pine Bark Bread ~ Traditional Scandinavian Recipe

   

5. Pass meat through a grinder with the small hole setting. Alternatively, pulse then process the mixture in batches in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until finely chopped, taking care not to over process.

   

6. Transfer meat to a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Add the salt, garlic powder, and white pepper and mix to combine. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add the eggs and mix well to combine.

   

Assemble the Knishes

1. Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough on it. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let come to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.

   

2. Meanwhile, position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
   

   

3. Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.

   

4. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Re-roll any dough scraps until all the dough is used.

   

5. Make the egg wash by combining the beaten egg with the water. Brush each square with the egg wash.

   

6. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons filling on one of the dough squares.

   

7. Stretch the dough over the filling and fold the points to meet in the center, similar to an envelope, pinching the edges closed. Continue with the rest of the dough and filling. (You might not use all the filling.)
   

   

8. Place knishes on the prepared baking sheets and brush with the egg wash.

   

9. Bake until knishes are golden brown on the top and bottom, rotating the trays in the oven halfway through baking, about 30 minutes total.

   

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

• Dumplings
• appetizer
• eastern european
• hanukkah

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