Knish Knish

Shirley Tanner, the 89-year-old home cook featured in Food on June 22, is renowned for her knishes, as well as her desserts. We ran a couple of her dessert recipes, but there was space only for a photo of the knishes, not the recipe. That brought on several requests from disappointed readers, leaving us no choice but to get the recipe and try it out in The Times Test Kitchen.

The knishes, made with filo instead of pastry, are indeed delicious. They’re practical too, because you can make up a batch, as Tanner does, then freeze them until needed.

SHIRLEY TANNER’S KNISHES

Chicken fat or kosher nya (vegetarian) fat

2 large onions, chopped

1 cup buckwheat groats

1 egg, beaten

2 cups water

Salt

4 large baking potatoes, peeled

12 sheets filo dough

Oil

Heat chicken fat in skillet. Add onions and saute until tender.

Heat separate heavy iron skillet over medium heat. Add groats to dry skillet, then add egg and stir mixture until all groats are separate.

Bring water to boil in saucepan. Add groats. Season to taste with salt. Cook 12 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes in separate pot until tender. Drain, then mash potatoes in pan over low heat. Let stand over heat until dry. Combine onions, groats and potatoes.

Lay out 1 sheet filo dough. Pat with oil or melted chicken fat. Top with second sheet. Add 1 cup filling in row along 1 long side. Roll dough up, tucking in ends to enclose filling completely. Brush top with chicken fat. Repeat with remaining filo sheets and filling, making 6 rolls in all.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Cut rolls part way through into slices about 1 1/2 inches thick. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 35 minutes, or until browned.

Makes about 4 dozen mini-knishes. Each knish contains about: