Peach Fried Pies and Apple Fried Pies

By RoketJSquerl

Adapted from “My Mother’s Southern Kitchen,” by James Villas and Martha Pearl Villas (MacMillan, 1994) and “Biscuits, Spoonbread & Sweet Potato Pie,” by Bill Neal (UNC Press, 1990). The Villas’ version falls firmly into the pie-crust style.

Ingredients

• Filling:
• Peach Fried Pies
• 6 ounces dried peaches
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, according to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Dough:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, preferably a low-gluten brand such as White Lily or Southern Biscuit
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, diced
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
• Fried Apple Pies
• Filling:
• 10 ounces dried apples (or a 6-ounce package)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Dough:
• 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
• About 2 cups canola oil, for frying

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 90mins
Cooking time 120mins
Adapted from charlotteobserver.com

Preparation

Step 1

Peach Fried Pies

PLACE dried fruit and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 40 minutes, until fruit is tender. Drain, then mash fruit coarsely with a pastry blender or potato masher. Add sugar, lemon juice, spices and butter. Set aside to cool.

COMBINE the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or a fork until dough resembles coarse meal and the butter is completely distributed through the flour. Add 6 tablespoons ice water and toss dough lightly with a fork until it’s coming together into a mass. Add a little ice water if needed, then form dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

PUT about half the dough on a floured work surface. Roll out with a floured rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4- to 6-inch saucer, cut out a couple of circles and set aside. Gather up scraps of dough, add more of the unrolled dough and roll out again, continuing to cut circles until the dough is used up.

WORKING with 3 or 4 circles at a time, place 2 to 3 tablespoons peach filling on each circle, fold the round in half and press the edges together firmly. Use a fork dipped in flour to crimp the edges.

HEAT about 2 cups vegetable or canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the finished pies about 3 minutes per side, lowering heat if needed to keep them from scorching. Cool on paper towels and continue filling dough and frying pies.

Yield: 10 to 12 pies.

Fried Apple Pies

From “Southern Pies,” by Nancie McDermott (Chronicle, 2010). Although McDermott got this recipe from Georgia cookbook author Virginia Willis, they fit right into the N.C. mountain style of dried apples and a biscuit-style crust.


PLACE the apples in a large bowl. Add 6 cups cold water. Cover and let stand 4 hours or overnight.

PUT the soaked apples and any remaining liquid in a large saucepan. Add 2 more cups water and the sugar. Bring to a boil and over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the apples thicken up and begin to break down, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and use a pastry blender, potato masher or fork to mash the apples into a soft, chunky filling. Can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated up to 1 day.

PLACE the flour in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender, a fork or two knives until the flour resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and stir until a dough forms. Place on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead a few times, turning and dusting with a little flour, until smooth. Push the dough to one side of the work surface.

BREAK off a piece of dough about the size of a biscuit. Roll out into a 4-inch circle. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center. Fold the dough over. Press edges together to seal, then dip a fork in flour and crimp the edges.

HEAT the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. It should be about 2 inches deep, and should register about 350 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer.

MAKE and fry 1 or 2 pies at a time about 2 minutes per side, turning gently so you don’t splash the oil (it helps to use two spatulas). Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioners sugar. Continue with remaining dough and apples. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.