A fried pie with a golden brown crust, warm and spicy from the frying pan, filled with juicy stewed fruit is a true southern treasure. They’re the ultimate dessert for fairs, picnics, church suppers and backyard barbecues. You can find them at roadside stands, diners and bakeries but they’re especially popular at the many festivals and cookouts that happen throughout the year in Texas and the neighboring states of Arkansas and Louisiana.
The best fried pies are made with homemade biscuit dough and fresh, cooked, stewed fruit. However, most cooks who make these pies cut corners and use canned biscuit dough or pre-made pie crust mix like Jiffy. I think it’s a shame to cut short on this simple, comforting dish. If you have a great homemade pie crust recipe and can spare the time to cook your own fruit, you should do so.
My grandmother Verdie often made her fried pies with apples but also used peaches and even pears when the fruit was in season. The apple pies were my favorite and I still love them today. To prepare the pies, you’ll first need to stew the apples down with nothing but butter and sugar. Then you’ll spoon the filling into your biscuit dough circles. You’ll need about a tablespoon for each one. Next, brush the edges with a little beaten egg and fold the bottom half over the top of the pie. Press the edges closed with the tines of a fork to seal. You’ll end up with about a dozen four-inch pies. If you want to add a twist, sprinkle the pies with a touch of salt before you seal them. فطاير محمرة