Fried Hand Pies

2 cups self rising flour
1/4 cup Crisco
1 cup milk

FILLING:
4 apples
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
powdered sugar (to top)

Combine flour, Crisco and milk; mix well. Roll into balls the
size of a walnut (should make 12). Flatten each with a rolling.
Peel and chop apples. Cook apples, margarine, spices, and brown
sugar until apples are tender. Place 1 tbsp. of this apple
mixture in the center of each flattened ball of dough.
Fold corners and press edges with fork.  Fry in oil until golden
brown on each side. Top with powdered sugar.

Skillet Fried Apple Pies


Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Show: Paula's Party
Episode: Tricks of the Trade

Oil, for frying
2 cans large buttermilk biscuits
1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon plus more for dusting
Flour, for rolling
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish, optional

Pour the oil into a large cast iron skillet about 1/2-inch up
the sides and heat to about 350 degrees F.
Remove biscuits from cans, flour them and roll each 1 out to
a 5-inch round. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit filling
on a round leaving a 1/2-inch edge all around. Place another
rolled out round on top of the filling, pressing around
the edges to seal. You should dip your fingers in water
and wipe around the edge of the bottom biscuit to
enable it to stick to the top biscuit. Dip end of dinner
fork in flour and press continuously around edge to insure
a proper seal. Repeat with remaining biscuits.

Makes 8 or 10 pies depending on the amount in your biscuit can.
Place 3 or 4 of the pies in the preheated cast iron skillet.
Fry for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Transfer to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with
cinnamon and sugar while still hot.
Serve with whipped cream and confectioners' sugar, if desired

Chocolate Fried Pies
1-1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sweet milk
1/2 stick margarine
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (5 count) Hungry Jack canned biscuits
Crisco

Mix first three ingredients. Then add eggs and milk. Stir well. Cook in a double boiler or real slow on stove top til thick. Add to mixture margarine and vanilla, then cool mixture. This is enough mix for 5 canned biscuits. Roll out a 5 count can of biscuits real thin. Add about 2 tablespoons of filling onto 1/2 side of rolled biscuit. Fold over and go around edge with fork. Heat about 1/2" Crisco shortening in skillet. Have Crisco medium hot and brown pies on both sides. (Fix all pies before you start to fry the first pie, that way Crisco stays the same temperature.)

CHOCOLATE FRIED PIES

1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Cooking oil for shallow-fat frying
Sifted powdered sugar

In a saucepan combine granulated sugar, flour, and cocoa powder.
Stir in the 1/2 cup milk and butter. Cook and stir until bubbly.
Cook 1 minute more. Stir in vanilla. Cool.
For crust I use canned biscuit (5) for this. If you use 10 biscuits, you  need
to double the filling recipe or you can use: 2 cups packaged biscuit mix and 1/3
cup milk.
Put filling in center of each circle. Fold over; press edges
together with a fork. In skillet, heat 1 inch cooking oil to 375
degrees Fry pastries until golden.
Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Fried Sweet Potato Pies

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Vegetable oil for frying
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup Steen's 100 percent Pure Cane Syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Splash of bourbon
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the sweet potatoes with
the oil, salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet
and place in the oven. Roast the potatoes until tender, about
1 1/2 hours.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and cool completely. In a
mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the
shortening and work it in with your hands until the mixture
resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and work it in with your
hands.
Add only as much as you need for a smooth ball of dough. Wrap
the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least
30 minutes.
Preheat the oil. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and
place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough on
the floured surface into a rectangle about 24 by 8 inches and
1/8-inch thick.
Using a sharp knife, cut 12 4-inch squares.. Remove the skin
from the potatoes and place the potatoes in a mixing bowl.
Add the egg yolk, cane syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and bourbon.
Mix well. Place about 1/4 cup of the filling in the center of
each pastry square. Bring one corner of the pastry to the other,
forming a triangle. Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges
of the triangle and seal completely.
When the oil has reached 360 degrees F, carefully lay a couple
of the pies in the hot oil, fry until golden brown, stirring
occasionally for over all browning, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the pies from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate.
Sprinkle the hot pies with the sugar. Repeat the process until
all of the pies are fried. In a mixing bowl, stir the powdered
sugar, milk and a splash of bourbon together. Mix until smooth.
Drizzle the frosting over the hot pies and serve immediately.
Makes about a dozen.

Apple Hand Pies

2 apples, cored, peeled and diced 1/3 c. sugar 1/2 t. cinnamon 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 t. salt 1/2 c. shortening 1/2 c. cold water 1 c. oil Garnish: powdered sugar Stir together apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until apples are tender. Set aside. Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with a fork. Stir in water to a dough consistency. Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut out with a 4-inch round cookie cutter; place one tablespoon apple mixture in center of each circle. Sprinkle edges with water; fold circles in half. Seal edges with a fork; set aside. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry pies, a few at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm. Makes 6 to 8 pies.

Fried Apple Pies

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
2 apples
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil

Peel and dice apples. Add sugar and cinnamon. Cook in a saucepan
on low heat. Cook until soft, then mash with fork to form a
thick applesauce.
Sift flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening. Add water
and mix with fork.
Roll out to about 1/8 inch thick on a floured board. Cut with a
large cookie cutter (4 inches in diameter).
In each round, place 1 heaping tablespoon fruit. Moisten edges
with cold water, fold and press edge with a fork.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Fry pies, a few
at a time, 2 to 3 minutes on each side; cook until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar

Fried Apple Pies

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups dried apples
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted or stirred before measuring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
oil for deep frying

PREPARATION:
Cover dried apples with water; simmer, covered, for 30 to 40
minutes. Drain and let cool.

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder; cut in butter. Add
eggs and milk; mix to form a soft dough. Roll dough out thin and
cut into 4 circles about 5 inches in diameter.

Combine nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar.

Place 1/2 cup dried apples in the center of each circle,
sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the sugar mixture, then fold over.

Wet edges with a little milk and seal with a fork. Fry at about
370° in deep fryer until golden brown. Drain well. Serve with
cream or ice cream.
Makes 4 fried apple pies.

Peach Filling for Fried Pies
1 gallon ripe peaches (unpeeled)
1 cup vinegar
4 cups sugar
Nutmeg to taste

Cut peaches into small pieces, placing them into a large, heavy bottomed pan. Add 1 cup vinegar to peaches. Stir 4 cups sugar into the peach and vinegar mix. Place heavy bottomed pan on medium-low heat and cook for 1-1/2 - 2 hours or until thick. Stir often so peaches do not burn. Remove from heat and let cool before filling fried pie crusts. Can be sealed in jars or frozen for future use.

Fried Pie Crust
5 cups plain flour
1 cup shortening
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 large can evaporated milk

Mix dry ingredients; cut into shortening. Add one large can of evaporated milk. Roll dough thin and cut out rounds using a saucer as a pattern. Fill dough with pie filling and fold in half. Dampen edges with water and seal with a fork. Fry in hot shortening. Drain on paper towels.

Apricot Cream Fried Pies



Ingredients



1 1/3 cups water

1 (6-ounce) package dried apricots

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts

Vegetable oil

Preparation

Bring 1 1/3 cups water and apricots to a boil over medium heat. Cook

30 minutes; drain. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Cool

completely.



Process sugar and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add

apricots; pulse 2 to 3 times or until blended.



Roll piecrusts into 12-inch circles; cut each crust into 9 (4-inch)

circles.



Spoon 2 rounded teaspoonfuls apricot mixture onto half of each pastry

circle. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over fruit mixture,

pressing edges to seal. Crimp edges with a fork dipped in flour.



Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into a large heavy skillet; heat to

350°. Fry pies, in batches, 2 minutes on each side.



NOTE: To bake, place on lightly greased baking sheets at 425º for 12

minutes.

Yield



Makes 1 1/2 dozen

Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 2000