knish

American  

[knish] / knɪʃ /

noun

Jewish Cooking.

1. a fried or baked turnover or roll of dough with a filling, as of meat, kasha, or potato, often eaten as an appetizer or snack.

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knish British  

/ knɪʃ /

noun

1. a piece of dough stuffed with potato, meat, or some other filling and baked or fried

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Etymology

Origin of knish

1925–30; < Yiddish < Polish knysz

Explanation

A knish is a delicious food made of dough that encases savory mashed potatoes. You can buy knishes from street vendors all over New York City. Knish is a Yiddish word with a Russian root, knysh, "cake" or "dumpling." These petite snacks are either baked or fried, and can be round or square, with fillings that sometimes include cheese or kasha in addition to potatoes. Ashkenazi Jews popularized knishes in North America in the early 20th century, and the first bakery to sell them opened in New York in 1910.

Example Sentences

One standout that resonated with me was the knish, a delectable combination of potato and dough.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2023

The knish is by no means a "fashionable" food.

From Salon • Dec. 21, 2022

But now I could die, don’t know why — maybe the knish?

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2022

The gawking public could allow itself some amusement at the trove of emails between the two that were made public, containing gems like an exchange about knish.

From Slate • Feb. 3, 2022

Cramming the last bit of knish in my mouth, I took Yakov by the wrist and pulled him closer.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros