These are my grandmother's pies. Laila loved to make fried pies and the only kind we remember ever made was peaches. Mama loved her peach pancakes and ate them all the time as she grew up, but one day she asked her to make her apple instead of her usual flavor. So Leela got all the ingredients and made a plate full of apple pies just for Mama. I took one bite and realized, unless it's peachy, it's not just her grandmother.
I remember Leela standing in the kitchen murmuring as she fried, laying the crunchy dessert on a Corel plate by the stove while she was dipping more in the hot oil in the cast-iron skillet. The entire house seemed to smell like peaches, which is a particularly welcome treat in the middle of winter!
There are many ways to make fried pies nowadays and many shortcuts, but the traditional Southern fried pie requires dried fruit and handcrafted dough, and it's usually some form of biscuit dough rather than a real pie. Today I'm introducing you to the traditional method, and it's very easy. Wait though because I am also planning to introduce two more methods for you soon too. It's a little more modern, and a little different in taste and texture, but everything is fine.
Until then, if you've been craving an old-fashioned fried pie like Grandma used to make it, you've come to the right place.
Before we start with the recipe, here's my part where I managed to make it with Al Roker on the Today Show - that was fun!
* You will need:
° Dried apple or prune: 8 ounces
° Water: 1 cup
° Sugar: 1/3 cup
° Butter: 1 tablespoon
° Cinnamon or apple pie spices: 1 teaspoon.
° Chilled Flaky Jumbo Biscuit: 1 Box
° Vegetable oil for frying
* Preparation :
1. In a saucepan, mix apples and water and bring to a boil. Then make sure to cover and reduce the heat and simmer until cooked, about 30 minutes. After that, you can remove it from the heat and let it cool, and mash it a little if the chunks are large. Once done, add the sugar and butter. Sit aside.
2. If using fresh apples: for filling, you'll want to add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet and melt. You can then add 4 peeled, seeded, and chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the apples are soft. Immediately remove from heat, mash slightly and cool.)
3. On a surface lightly sprinkled with flour, roll out each biscuit in a 5-inch circle. Place about 1 tablespoon of the apple mixture on one half of each biscuit circle. It is best to dip your fingers in the water and moisten the edges of the circles to close the pies. You may want to fold in half, making sure the edges are even. You should press the ends together firmly to seal them with a fork dipped in flour.
4. Pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a heavy frying pan, or use a deep frying pan, then fry the patties in hot oil (370 degrees) over medium-high heat until golden, stirring once. Make sure you don't rush into it because you want the whole biscuit to be cooked.
5. And please filter it well on the paper towels. This should make 10 pies.
ENJOY !