Knish

A knish is a filled pastry rooted in Ukrainian and Ashkenazi Jewish cooking, made of dough wrapped around a filling and either baked or deep fried. Traditional fillings are mashed potato, kasha, which is buckwheat groats, or cheese, while modern versions may use beef, chicken, sweet potato, black beans or spinach. Knishes vary considerably in shape and presentation, appearing round, rectangular or square, sometimes fully enclosed in dough and sometimes left open at the top, and in sizes ranging from a single bite to a full sandwich; the dish is closely associated with Jewish American and New York City cuisine as well as its Eastern European origins.