knish

/kəˈnɪʃ/

Other forms: knishes

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.

Definitions of knish

1. noun

   (Yiddish) a baked or fried turnover filled with potato or meat or cheese; often eaten as a snack
   type of:

   turnover

   a dish made by folding a piece of pastry over a filling