Savory smoked salmon rugelach

Rugelach is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish pastry, something like the French croissant’s Eastern European cousin. Made by rolling dough around what has traditionally been a sweet filling, the sweet’s name means “little twists” in Yiddish. They’re generally thought to have developed in Poland, but a more colorful version of the story has rugelach as a descendant of a pastry of Central Europe: the Viennese kipferl, another crescent-shaped sweet.

In 1683, the Ottoman Empire laid siege to the city of Vienna, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. After two months, the great siege was broken. The city’s bakers, the story goes, decided to create a pastry to commemorate their victory. They looked at their  ingredients after two months under military siege. Flour. Yeast. Some butter. Some nuts. Some jam. They could make any of the usual things. But no—this had to be special. This had to be symbolic.

And then someone had an idea. The Turks had laid siege to Vienna for months. Their banners had flown high. And what had waved on those banners? The crescent moon. What better shape for the new confection than the symbol of the Turks themselves? And what better to pair it with than the drink made with the delicious coffee beans the Turks had left behind? 

Today, I want to share a recipe for a savory version of this fine pastry. Smoked salmon works because it’s rich, but not overwhelming. Salty, but balanced. It has that deep, smoky flavor that makes you feel like you’re eating something that has stood the test of time. Pair it with cream cheese, and suddenly you have the culinary equivalent of a great telenovela: layered, dramatic and impossible to stop consuming.

The idea of turning pastries savory? That’s just survival. Empanadas, samosas, knishes, pasties: all invented by people who needed something portable. From war and migration to famine, savory pastries have seen it all.

Savory smoked salmon rugelach

Ingredients

For the dough

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt

For the filling

• 4 oz smoked salmon, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• ¼ tsp black pepper

For assembly and topping

• 1 egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tsp water
• 1 tbsp sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, flour, and salt until a soft dough forms. Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Prepare the Filling. Combine the smoked salmon, cream cheese, mustard, dill, lemon zest, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until spreadable.
3. Prep the oven. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Assemble the rugelach. Roll out one dough disc into a 12-inch circle. Spread half the filling evenly over the dough.
5. Shape the rugelach. Cut the dough into 12 wedges. Roll each wedge from the wide end to the point to form crescents. Repeat with the second dough disc.
6. Bake the rugelach. Place crescents on baking sheet Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and cool slightly before serving.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.