Knish

If you've ever been to New York, you'll know what I'm talking about when I say knish!  (And if you've been to New York, and don't know what I'm talking about, then you haven't really experienced it, and I recommend you go back asap).

Also, it has been my experience, that Knishes are relatively difficult to find anywhere other than New York.  So I had to resort to other means.  My mother.  Who kindly sent me this recipe. (She's a little gold mine when it comes to great recipes)!

Jewish Knishes

Dough:
1 egg
1 tsp white vinegar (or any kind, really)
1/4 c oil
2 3/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
water (enough to make a nice workable dough)

Filling:
1-2 large yellow onions
3 1/2 lbs. potatoes (peeled & chopped)
chicken broth, or bouillon
2-4 tbs margarine/butter (I'd use butter...)
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

For the filling:  Steam and boil potatoes until tender, drain and mash with chicken broth, salt, pepper (lots of pepper!) and 1 tbs butter.  While potatoes are boiling, saute onions in 1-2 tbs butter, until translucent.  Add to potatoes after they've been mashed and seasoned.  Taste again.  add more salt/pepper if needed.

Filling shortcut:  use up your left over mashed potatoes!  Add some salt, pepper and maybe some chicken broth, and you're done!  granted, this might not taste quite as good, but it is a quick way to use up those leftovers!

For the dough:  Place all ingredients in bowl of mixer and mix with a dough hook until the dough is smooth (I usually do this without a mixer... and when I say usually I mean always).  Add enough water to make dough.  Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.  Do not skip this step!

To make the knishes: Divide dough into 2 pieces.  Roll into a rectangle and place a 'log' of potato down the middle (hotdog style/lengthwise), leaving a couple inches margin from each long end.  Bring sides of dough up and press to seal.  With a sharp knife, cut individual knishes into squares.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake uncovered until lightly browned - about 20-30 minutes (depending on size) at 375 degrees F.  Repeat for second half of dough.  Sometimes, if I've halved the dough recipe, and am making only a few knishes, I'll cut the dough first, and fill and press them individually (I do this if I am just using up some extra mashed potatoes, for example).  Top with some mustard, and enjoy.

Oven Baked Naan Recipe

So, I found a recipe for Indian Tandoori Naan, sans the tandoori.  All you need is your oven and a cookie sheet!  I used it so much, that I eventually made a few changes (kind of a lot) to get it perfect.  PS, this recipe takes awhile, so make it on a day when you're going to be around.

But it is so worth it!

Naan

Ingredients:
1 1/8 C (9oz.) warm water (1/8 C = 2 Tbs)
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (I'm usually fairly liberal with the yeast.  i like it to rise).
3 1/4-1/2 C flour (plus a little more for kneading & rolling later on)
2 tsp baking powder (once again, I'm liberal)
3 Tbs olive oil (can use melted butter or coconut oil, with slightly different results)
1/4 C plain greek yogurt (I use Chobani, plain non-fat)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar

Directions:

Let yeast soak in warm water for approximately 8-10 minutes (or until it's creamy).   While it's soaking combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Add oil and greek yogurt and mix until it's nice and clumpy.  Add the water/yeast mixture and stir it up until you get a nice semi-firm dough. Knead for a few minutes, until smooth (you may have to add a little more flour to get a good dough consistency). At this point place your dough back in the bowl (covered), and let rise in a warm place (sometimes I heat my oven up to 150° and put the bowl on the burner that gets hot when the oven is on) for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

3 hours later:

Preheat oven to 500°F, since we're working sans Tandoori.  When the dough has risen, plop it onto a (floured) surface (I usually have to use a spoon to get the dough out of the bowl nicely), and knead until smooth.  Again.  Cut dough into equal pieces (about 8-10).  Roll each piece flat into a sort of oval shape.  Put about 3 - 4 pieces on a cookie sheet (i've heard a pizza stone works as well...)  Bake in oven at 500°F for 4 minutes.  And, you're done.  Congrats, now go impress some people (and their taste buds) with your skills =)

Add oil & yogurt to dry ingredients.

All mixed in & nice and crumbly.

This is how yeast looks when it's 'creamy.'

Add the yeast to the rest of the ingredients.

  

Mix it up until it forms a semi stiff dough.  

Make sure to knead it. 

One little finger usually works best ;)

Ready to rise.

1 hour, 30 minutes 

3 hours

Scrape it out of the bowl,

and onto the counter, with lots of flour.  

Cause that dough is sticky.

Divide it up.  I got 8 pieces this time.

Roll it out.  It doesn't need to be super thin.

Bake for 4 minutes at 500° 

(or 3:30, if you're impatient like me), 

and voila!