To Bake Or Not To Bake....That Is My Question

One of my favorite southern delicacies is a good fried apple pie made from dried apples.  My Aunt Virginia made the best.  She would gather her apples, peel them, slice them, and lay them outside to dry on window screens that her husband, my Uncle Roy, would set over cinder blocks.  The apples would dry to a lovely golden brown.  As they would dry I would always steal a few to munch on while we were at her house.  I loved chewing on those dried apple wedges.  It was better than gum.  I have told you all before that I am not a baker.  I love to cook, I love making cutesy little appetizers....but baking...I leave that for others to do.  One day when I was about 13 I felt it was necessary to learn how to make these little lovelies so I asked my mom if she would teach me. (Remember I am 58 years old....so Pillsbury had not yet invented the refrigerator pie crusts we can use today).  We got out the recipe, gathered the ingredients, and began the process.  My mom had already stewed up some apples to make applesauce for my dad so we were able to cut that step from the process....all we had to do was make pie crust, fill, fry, and eat!  Therein lies the problem in this story.....I made the crust just like the recipe said, (doing fine so far) and put the crust mixture on the rolling board and began to roll.  My mom told me to roll them 1/4 of an inch thick.  I rolled, got the ruler, measured, looked good to me....so I proudly showed my work to my mom.  She inspected them, wadded it up, put it back in the middle and told me it was too big....roll again.  Ok....no problem.  I rolled again, measured...this time a bit under 1/4 of an inch, and pronounced that I was ready to begin.  My mom looked, showed me 1/4" on the ruler, wadded them up again, and told me to redo.  Third time is the charm....right?  Not for me I rolled, measured, and yep...you got it....they were still wrong.  Remember I said I was around 13....and now...I have lost all interest in making fried apple pies.  By this time I have lost interest in apples altogether.  I am now crying (yep...I was your typical drama queen and my mom was red faced and shouting at me.).  We finally gave up the attempt at making fried apple pies.  I don't make them to this day.  I don't make pie crust to this day.  But...since it is summer and our apple trees in the area are heavy with apples I thought I would share the story....and the recipe to some of the best fried apple pies you could possibly put in your mouth.  If you are a baker....good luck and enjoy.  If you are not....use the Pillsbury pie crust that are already done.  Have a wonderful summer Saturday and enjoy time with family and friends!

Aunt Virginia's FRIED DRIED APPLE PIES

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1813,144180-252193,00.html Content Copyright © 2012 Cooks.com - All rights reserved. 2 lbs. dried apples, sliced 3 c. boiling water 1 c. sugar 1T cinnamon 2 c. flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 c. shortening 1/2 c. cold water Cook apples in boiling water until soft. Add cinnamon. Chill. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with 2 knives. Add cold water gradually. Until flour mixture is moist enough to roll into a ball. Roll thin and cut into 24 dough rounds using a saucer guide. Divide the apple mixture into 24 parts and spoon one side of each of the 24 rounds. Cover with the other side of the round. And press edges together with a fork. Fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. Makes 24 pies.