Best Our Family Fried Pies Recipes

FRIED PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, mix together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Cut in 1 cup of the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 of the eggs and the buttermilk and stir until it just comes together. Add a little more buttermilk if needed. Form it into a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• To make the pies, roll the pastry out into a large square. Trim the edges to make a rectangle. Cut into 8 to 10 long rectangles, using a butter knife.
• Spoon a tablespoon or so of filling into the top half of one of the rectangles.
• Use the remaining beaten eggs to seal the edges by folding the bottom half of the rectangle over the top. Then crimp the edges shut with a fork. Repeat with the other pies, filling half with apple pie filling and half with cherry pie filling.
• Heat shortening in a medium, deep saucepan over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the pies until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and immediately drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

EASY FRIED PIES

Steps:

• Place dried fruit in a pot and add water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until fruit is tender. Add other ingredients and mash together with a potato masher or fork. Set aside while dough is prepared.
• Roll each biscuit out on a floured surface into a five or six inch circle. Place two tablespoons of filling in each. Wet the edges and fold over, crimping with a fork.
• Cook in oil which has been heated on medium heat, until browned on both sides, turning as needed. Remove to paper towel lined plate.

MAMA'S FRIED PIES

Steps:

• Cook fruit in water until tender. Drain and mix with sugar and margarine. Mash well. Refrigerate overnight if possible. Roll out homemade piecrust dough and cut into saucer-sized circles.
• Spoon fruit onto circles and fold over into crescent shapes, then close the edges completely with a fork. Fry until golden brown. Place fried pies on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Variations: For baked pies, place crescents on a lightly-greased baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.
• For apple pies, use dried apples and add apple pie spice (or nutmeg and cinnamon) and vanilla to taste.
• For prune pies, use dry, pitted prunes and add vanilla to taste.
• Place the flour and a dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry blender or use your hands, as I do. Add the water, a teaspoon at a time, kneading until the dough is smooth.

OUR FAMILY FRIED PIES

Steps:

• Wash and dice dried apricots, then place in a sauce pan and cover with water (about 1 inch above fruit).
• Cook slowly until tender.
• Do NOT pour off water.
• Add spices to taste and lemon juice.
• Thicken with a corn starch slurry.
• **Be careful of scorching after cornstarch is added.
• Roll out a ball of pastry about the size of a golf ball.
• Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit filling on 1/2 of pastry circle leaving about a half inch edge.
• Fold over and seal with a fork.
• ***Pies may be frozen at this point.
• Fry frozen or thawed pies in a skillet of hot oil(preferred Crisco at 375 degrees in cast iron skillet) until golden brown.
• Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
• Can be eaten as is (preferred)or sprinkle with powdered sugar, lightly.
• Enjoy! ;).

FRIED APPLE HAND PIES

Steps:

• For the pie dough: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the shortening and butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add in the ice water and vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the mixture just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press into a large disc. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For the filling: Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and then saute the apples, stirring, until just starting to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and stir. Add the cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until some of the apples start to break apart (but most are still whole), about 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Fill a deep pot halfway with oil and heat to 365 degrees F. Roll the dough out 1/8-inch thick on a lightly-floured surface. Cut out eighteen 4 1/2-inch-diameter circles, gathering and re-rolling the dough if necessary. Beat the egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the apple filling into the center of each dough round. Brush the edge with some egg mixture and fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape. Press out the air and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough.
• Place 4 to 6 pies at a time into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, flipping as needed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cook's Note: The pies can be frozen for up to 6 months before frying. Frozen pies will take about 8 minutes to fry. You can also refrigerate the pies for up to 2 hours before frying.

FRIED APPLE PIES

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, butter and 1 tablespoon water. Cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbling. Add the apples, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and lemon juice. Mix together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool completely. You can make this ahead of time and chill in the fridge a day or so in advance if needed.
• To make the pies, roll each biscuit into about a 5-inch circle that is about 1/8 inch thick. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the apple filling on each round of dough, just off center. Use your finger and run a little water around the edges to help them seal completely. Fold one half of each circle over onto the other half and seal in the apple filling, forcing out any air that you can. Press the edges together and crimp with a fork. Continue until they're all assembled.
• Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Fry the pies 2 or 3 at a time for about 5 minutes, carefully turning them halfway through. Remove them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• When all the pies are fried, sift the confectioners' sugar over top. Serve with Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce or store-bought caramel sauce.
• Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking gently, until it thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and a second pinch of salt and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Chill if not using immediately.

APRICOT FRIED PIES

Steps:

• Place apricots in a medium saucepan; add water to cover.
• Cover pan and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until tender.
• Mash appricots, and add sugar; set aside.
• Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Sprinkle cold water (1 Tablespoon at a time) evenly over surface; stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Shape into a ball and chill.
• Divide dough in half.
• Roll one portion to 1/8" thickness on a lightly foured surface; cut into 3 1/2-inch circles.
• Spoon aout 1 teaspoon apricot filling on half of each pastry circle, moisten edges and fry.

DEEP-FRIED CHERRY PIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. , Divide dough into four portions; roll each into an 8-in. circle. Place 1/4 cup of pie filling in the center of each circle. Fold dough over filling; secure with toothpicks. , In an electric skillet or deep fat-fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry pies, folded side down, in oil for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and fry 2-3 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels. Remove toothpicks. Serve with syrup and whipped topping.

FRIED FRUIT PIES

Steps:

• Mix together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender, fork, your hands, or whatever method works best for you, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir together the beaten egg with the water and sprinkle over flour mixture. Sprinkle in the vinegar, mixing lightly, until ingredients are well combined.
• Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
• In a nonreactive pan on very low heat, simmer the dried fruit in the water for 30 to 45 minutes, or until very tender. Add water if necessary to prevent scorching. Allow to cool; mash fruit slightly.
• Stir in the sugar and spices. This step of the preparation may be done in advance and refrigerated; however, warm up the fruit (microwave is fine) enough to take the chill off and make it workable before filling your pies.
• Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and cut it into four equal pieces. You can then cut each of the four pieces into three equal pieces, leaving you with 12 golf-ball-size dough balls.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 5- to 6-inch circle. Your circles don't have to be perfect, and ragged edges are okay.
• Put about 2 generous tablespoons of filling onto one side of the circle of dough. Seal the pie by wetting the inside edge of the dough with water (use your finger) and then fold over the dough, making the familiar half-moon shaped pie. Make sure the edges of the dough are even, and press and crimp to insure a good seal. You can use a fork to give you a bit of a decorative edge if you like. You can also correct the more ragged edges during this step because the dough is pliable. Just make sure the filling is sealed in and that any holes in the dough are crimped.
• Using a deep fryer set at 350, carefully lower the pies into the oil, one at a time. Cook until they turn a nice even golden brown in 3 or 4 minutes. You don't have to worry about cooking the filling -- it's already cooked. The frying process is merely cooking the dough.
• Drain on paper towels.

TRADITIONAL FRIED PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Cut in shortening (suggested to cut in half then add in the other half because it makes the pastry both tender and flaky)until it resembles coarse meal.
• Mix water and vinegar together,set aside.
• Add in water mixture, stirring with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Add a little more water if dough seems too dry; shape dough into a ball and chill at least 1 hour, until ready to use.
• Preferred filling Our Family's Fried Pies.
• Roll out a ball of pastry about the size of a golf ball.
• Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit filling on 1/2 of pastry circle leaving about a half inch edge.
• Fold over and seal with a fork.
• ***Pies may be frozen at this point.
• Fry frozen or thawed pies in a skillet of hot oil(preferred Crisco at 375 degrees in cast iron skillet) until golden brown.
• Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
• Can be eaten as is (preferred)or sprinkle with powdered sugar, lightly.
• Enjoy! ;).