Jewish Buckwheat-Mushroom (Kasha) Knishes

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 08/29/19
Jar of buckwheat groat
Melanie Acevedo / Getty Images
Prep: 60 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 12 servings

This recipe for Jewish buckwheat-mushroom (kasha) knishes is made with a flaky sour cream pastry. Don't overwork the dough or it will taste like crackers. It's best made with dried Polish borowiki mushrooms but Italian porcini will do. The fresh mushrooms can be a button or baby bellas. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped dill, if desired. Knishes can be eaten as a snack, appetizer, main course or side dish.

If you like this recipe you may also be interested in baking potato knish. For those who keep kosher, to make this parve, use vegetable broth to soak the dried mushrooms in.

Ingredients

  • For the Sour Cream Pastry:
  • 2 1/4 cups pastry flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 4 1/2 ounces + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
  • 3 ounces sour cream
  • For the Buckwheat-Mushroom (Kasha) Filling:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 large onions (finely chopped)
  • 7 ounces button or baby Bella mushrooms (diced)
  • 1 cup buckwheat (cooked in 2 cups beef stock)
  • 3/4 ounce dried mushroom (soaked in 1 cup hot beef stock or vegetable stock)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large egg (beaten with 1 teaspoon water)

Steps to Make It

To Make the Pastry

  1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

  2. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

  3. Add sour cream and quickly form a dough, trying to handle the dough as little as possible.

  4. If necessary, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time.

  5. Wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours. 

To Make the Filling

  1. Heat butter in a large skillet and saute onions and fresh mushrooms until soft and browned.

  2. Add cooked buckwheat and cook until slightly browned.

  3. Remove the dried mushrooms from the soaking liquid and chop.

  4. Add them to the skillet along with the soaking liquid. Be careful not to pour off any grit that has settled to the bottom of the soaking container.

  5. Cook over medium-high heat until the liquid has been absorbed.

  6. Let cool completely. Season with salt and pepper.

To Assemble

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 6x3-inch rectangles.

  3. Place a large dollop of filling on one end.

  4. Brush edges with an egg beaten with water.

  5. Fold one edge over to meet the other edge and pinch together, making sure there is no trapped air.

  6. Brush each one with the egg wash and bake 15 minutes on a parchment-lined pan.

  7. Eat hot or at room temperature and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
236 Calories
14g Fat
27g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 236
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 36mg 12%
Sodium 273mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 2g
Calcium 72mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)