Ingredients
The dough
- Flour600 g
- Milk320 g
- Butter, melted113 g1 stick
- Sugar100 g
- Instant yeast12 g
- Salt12 g
- Eggs, beaten2
Potato filling
- Monterrey jack cheese113 g
- Cheddar113 g
- Russet potatoes, peeled8
- Saltto taste
Method
Step 1: Activate the yeast & prepare potatoes
Warm the milk in the microwave until luke-warm (100°F/38°C). Add the instant yeast and stir together. Set aside and let activate for 5-10 minutes.
Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, remove the skin from the potatoes and cube them up.
Step 2: Mix the dough & let it rest
Pour the yeast and milk into the dry ingredients.
Add in the melted butter and beaten eggs. Mix the dough together with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. It will be very sticky. Put saran wrap over the bowl and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3: Boil & mash the potatoes
While the dough is resting, add the potatoes to a pot and cover with water.
Bring them to a and continue to cook until they can easily be mashed with a fork.
Strain the potatoes off and add them back to the pot. Mash the potatoes and incorporate the cheese Taste them. Add salt as needed. Let cool.
Step 4: Knead the dough
With dough rested, add flour to the work surface. Turn the dough onto the floured counter and by hand for at least 10 minutes. Set a timer if needed.
After kneading, the dough ball should be completely smooth. Add the dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, around 45-60 minutes.
Step 5: Add the potato filling & flatten the belish
When the dough doubles, turn it out and cut into two pieces.
Flatten the dough by hand and thin out the edges. Add half of the potato filling and fold the sides up around the dough like a large dumpling. Do the same with the other piece of dough. Let rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 204°C.
Using your hands, flatten the potato filled dough until about 1 inch thick. Move each of the belish to a buttered baking sheeting. Using a rolling pin, flatten the belish until it is about 1/2 inch thick.
Step 6: Bake the belish
Add the belish to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Take it out and flip the belish. Rub butter on the top layer. Add back to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
Flip and rub more butter on the top. Add a sprinkle of flakey salt. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter and enjoy.
“Over the years my grandma on my dad's side made plenty of Polish and Slovak comfort foods. Belish is one of our family's favorite recipes from my gram. It's based on a pagach recipe, which is a bread stuffed with potatoes, rolled out and baked though I'm not sure how we got the name over the years. Also, be sure to add plenty of butter!”
Ethan ChlebowskiWatch & Cook
Nutritional Information
Show macros split into…
Recommended: 20 servings
FAQ
Are there other fillings?
In my family, the potato and cheese is the classic filling. However, over the years I’ve mixed it up a bit. You could try some different types of cheeses or mushrooms or anything you like. I would definitely start with the classic version first.
Can I make other things with this dough?
Yes - this recipe makes two batches of belish. I actually made the other half of this dough into bread rolls. You could use it for pizza or whatever else you like.