Kendra's Treats

This is my version of a perfect fried dried apple pie. Different families have different recipes, some start with biscuit dough, some with pastry, some with dried apples and some with fresh, and probably everyone’s favorite kind is the one that their grandma makes. I’m no different. My grandma makes the best fried pies EVER (well, basically the best everything and I’m not biased at all) =). When she makes pies, she’ll take the left over dough from the crust and make a few fried pies and hide one on top of the bread box for me. She’ll fill them with different fruits: fresh apples, dried apples, peach, or cherry but my favorite is dried apple. I’ve watched her make them several times but mine never turn out quite as good as hers…maybe I just need more practice. I almost never fry stuff, so that probably has something to do with it too.

If you’re going to make fried pies, in my opinion, you should go all out. No canned biscuits or store bought pie crust. Make it from scratch or call up your grandma. They won’t be worth the calories if you don’t. Unfortunately, I don’t really measure when I cook my dried apples (I promise next time to measure), but I think you can eye ball it. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can make them in whatever you have but I think you’d get your money’s worth if you just bought this one for $15. You can use it for lots of recipes, cast iron lasts forever, and it’s the original nonstick! (This post is not sponsored by Lodge, by the way haha) Enjoy!

Fried Apple Pies
for the dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
ice cold water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until size of peas. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough just forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

for the apples:
dried apples
water
cinnamon
sugar

Put dried apples in medium sauce pan. Add enough water to reconstitute your apples, but be careful not to add too much. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Cook over medium heat until apples become soft and the consistency of thick applesauce. (I know these are really vague directions. I’m sorry.) Cool completely before using.

To assemble pies:
Roll dough 1/8″ thick and cut into whatever size circles you want. Place apple filling on one half of circle. Seal edges with fork.

Add a thin layer of canola oil to cast iron skillet and heat over medium to medium high heat. Place assembled pie in oil and cook about 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook other side until golden. Place on paper towel lined plate to cool.