Dried Apple Fried Pies

Dried apple fried pies are the Appalachian hand pie that made the winter apple harvest last all year — tart dried apples rehydrated and spiced, wrapped in a simple pastry, and fried in a cast-iron skillet until golden and crisp. Before refrigeration, mountain families dried apples by the bushel, and these pocket pies traveled in lunch pails to school and work. They are the original to-go dessert, and they are still worth every minute of the making.

Why this recipe works: Dried apples are concentrated apple flavor — simmered in water with sugar, cinnamon, and a little nutmeg, they plump back into a jammy, intensely appley filling. A simple flour-and-lard (or butter) pastry is rolled thin, filled, sealed into half-moons, and fried in a shallow skillet until the crust is golden and crisp. A dusting of sugar finishes them.

Key ingredients

• Dried apple slices: the concentrated flavor base.
• Sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg: the spiced filling.
• Flour, fat, and salt: the simple pastry — lard or shortening is traditional.
• Oil for frying: a neutral oil in a heavy skillet.

Tips for perfect fried pies

Simmer the dried apples in water until fully soft and jammy — about 20 to 30 minutes — then mash them slightly and cool before filling. Roll the pastry thin and cut into rounds; fill with a heaping spoonful, fold, and crimp the edges tightly with a fork so the filling does not leak. Fry in a shallow skillet at 350°F until deep golden on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Dust with sugar while warm.

Variations and storage

Use fresh chopped apples sautéed with butter for a summer version, or add a spoonful of bourbon to the filling. Fried pies keep 3 days at room temperature and freeze beautifully for 2 months — reheat in a skillet or a 350°F oven to bring back the crisp.

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