Baking & Pastry Classics
The Pie Safe
Southern Fried Pies
Deep fried pastry dough sandwiched with a small batch of fresh fruit jam means summer is in full swing. Your lips will want to capture every flaky crumb when you bite into these marvelous petite pies. And you know what? If they don’t, that’ll be a problem. By far, Apple-Blueberry Fried Pies are my very favorite pie recipe to date. The tart apple blends beautifully with the fresh blueberries & brown sugar scented with a hint of spice from the cupboard. When paired with the rustic pastry & the powdered sugar… well, you had just better watch out. If someone offers you a homemade fried pie, by all means, hold out your napkin to accept the glorious gift. And just know they love you.
Apple-Blueberry Fried Pies
make 9 fried pies
The lightly spiced filling makes about 1 cup & you’ll have about a 1/4 cup remaining to top over goat cheese crostini toasts. Increase the ginger & cinnamon if you prefer more intense flavors.
1 1/2 cups peeled & diced Granny Smith apple, about 1 {8-oz} apple
1/2 cup ginger ale
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
A pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries
Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil
Powdered sugar
Bring the apple, the ginger ale, the brown sugar, the ginger & the cinnamon to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan with tall sides over Medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Do not walk away while preparing the filling as the mixture bubbles vigorously & very close to the top of the pan. Add the blueberries & continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until about 1 Tbsp of the liquid remains. Remove from the heat. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Prepare the Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough as directed. Roll the dough between plastic wrap to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut 18 {3 3/4 x 2 1/2-inch} rectangles, rerolling the dough as needed. Brush the egg on half of the dough rectangles; top with 2 tsp apple-blueberry mixture. Place the remaining dough rectangles over the filled bottom halves. Press the edges well to seal. Use a fork to create a decorative flute around the circumference of each miniature pie. Place onto a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan & cover with plastic wrap. Chill 20 minutes.
Pour the oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a Dutch oven & heat to 360 degrees. Fry, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown on both sides. Remove from the oil. Drain well on paper towels over a wire rack 10 minutes. Dust with sifted powdered sugar just before serving.
Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough
makes 18 {3 3/4 x 2 1/2-inch} dough rectangles
A standard Mason jar cookie cutter makes a good size for these scrumptious fried pies. Flip the cutter in the opposite direction & press over the dough surface to remove the lid portion.
1 1/2 cups ap flour
3 Tbsp plain yellow cornmeal
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup cold shortening
3 to 4 Tbsp whole buttermilk
Whisk together the flour, the cornmeal & the salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter & the shortening into the mixture using a fork or your fingers until crumbly in texture making certain to leave some of the fat in large bits. Drizzle the buttermilk over the mixture & shape the dough into a disc. Place the dough disc between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use as directed.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Fried Pies
Options, options, options. It’s always good to know you have options.
The technique is a cinch but a few extra tips will prove to be invaluable.
From fresh fruit jam to rolling, cutting & filling the dough to frying, follow my lead.
A stellar batch of deep fried summer goodness is much closer than you may think.
The Technique
No. 1
The Apple-Blueberry Filling
Be certain not to walk away while preparing the filling. As the mixture begins to boil, the bubbles grow vigorously in the pan. Stir occasionally to help them subside.
Stir more often once the blueberries are added. The liquid will begin to evaporate more quickly & this will keep the mixture from burning. The filling consistency will be chunky & will thicken further upon chilling.
No. 2
The Pastry Dough
Rolling the dough between plastic wrap allows you to get the pastry as thin as possible. You can certainly prepare the old-fashioned way but I find the less flour used, the better.
Work in smaller portions of dough if you prefer. It can make the task more manageable. If the dough gets too warm, just pop it in the fridge a few minutes to firm back up again.
As you cut the rectangles, place them on a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
You can also make all the cuts, then cover & chill them until ready to fill. The dough needs to be pliable to top over the filling to prevent the dough from tearing. Allow the pan to stand on the counter top a few minutes before proceeding.
Brushing the egg over the entire bottom surface makes sealing less fussy. One quick swipe, a dabble of filling & on goes the second dough rectangle. Gently press the dough around the filling to make snug contact with the base. Pick up the pie in your hand & press around the edges for a more secure seal. This will help prevent the pastry from opening during the frying stage.
A tiny cocktail fork is the ideal fluting tool for the small pies. Press the tines around the circumference of each pie. This will add a decorative edge & seal the pies just a bit further.
No. 3
The Frying
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the Dutch oven. Maintain a temperature of 360 degrees by turning the heat up or down as necessary.
Fry about two or three pies at a time & remove from the grease. Drain the pies well. Move them about the paper towels to release as much grease as possible.
etc
Cooking Lessons
Visit this post for more detailed instructions
The Basics: How To Make Pastry Dough
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