Fried Apple Pies

Filling

• 2 cups peeled and chopped apple
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup apple juice
• 1 tsp freshly-ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp freshly-grated nutmeg

Dough

• 9 ½ oz (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ oz (about 6 Tbsp) shortening
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 egg mixed with 1–2 teaspoons water

Other

• 2 quarts canola oil
• Powdered sugar

Filling

1. Place all of the ingredients into a small saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Transfer to a bowl, and place in refrigerator to cool completely before using as filling.

Pies

4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds and then transfer into a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the shortening and knead it into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly.
6. Add the milk all at once and mix in with a spatula until it begins to come together.
7. Lightly flour your hands and the countertop and turn the dough out onto the countertop.
8. Knead the dough ball, folding over 10 to 20 times. Using a rolling pin to roll the dough to ⅓–½-inch thickness, then cut into rounds using a 2 ¼-inch ring.
9. Roll each round as thinly as possible or to 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of filling onto the dough, brush the edges of half of the dough lightly with the egg wash, and fold over and seal the edges together with the tines of a fork, dipping it into flour as needed.
10. Gently press down to flatten and evenly distribute the filling. Dock the top of the pies with a fork.
11. Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or a large heavy pot to 375 °F. Once hot, add 1–2 pies at a time and fry until golden brown, approximately 3–4 minutes. Drain on a cooling rack.
12. Once all pies have been fried, place sugar in a bowl. Roll each pastry in the sugar and serve.