Knysh

Knysh is a traditional Ukrainian baked item of yeasted or unleavened dough, a small bun or pie whose characteristic feature is its pinched edges folded inward, forming a kind of “cap.”

The filling of a knysh can be varied: fried onion with cracklings, mashed potato, cheese, buckwheat porridge, sauerkraut, or poppy seed. The top of the item is often brushed with oil or lard. Knyshi also had a ritual significance — they were baked for memorial meals, Christmas, and other holidays, and given out as a treat. This simple, hearty, and aromatic baked good with its appetising crust has long been part of the everyday and festive table of Ukrainians, and its name is even mentioned in folk songs and sayings.