JP, I have sent a note to Sheri asking if there's a recipe for them in the Southern Living Community Cookbook that she compiled; in the meantime you could try making your pastry dough with an egg as part of the liquid, which would help it hold together when it's being submerged in fat. Susan Just heard back from Sheri. This fried pie is, in fact, in the book linked above: Fried Apple Pies The roster of famous Southern pies is long and honorable, but perhaps none inspires more nostalgia than a fried apple pie, those handheld half-moons of tender pastry encasing a delicately spiced dried apple filling. (The other traditional filling is dried peaches.) Despite the implications of their name, most homemade fried pies are not deep-fried, but cooked in a skillet until they are golden brown. Fried pies have long been popular in the Mountain South, where hearthside baking in a trusty iron skillet was perfected in the days before ovens were common. Makes 6 servings 1 1/2 cups dried apples 1 Tbsp. butter 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup shortening 1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk Vegetable oil Sifted powdered sugar 1. Bring apples and water to cover to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until apples are soft. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 1 hour. Drain off any standing liquid. Mash apples coarsely with a fork or pastry blender. Again, drain off any standing liquid. The filling should be very thick. Stir in butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover and chill. 2. Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Work in shortening with pastry blender or fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, evenly over surface; stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. 3. Divide pastry into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut each in a 6-inch round. (A saucer makes a nice guide.) 4. Spoon one-sixth of apple filling on half of each round. Moisten edge of pastry, fold dough over apple filling, press edges to seal. Crimp edges with a fork. 5. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into a large, heavy skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry pies 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown, turning once. Drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle warm pies with powdered sugar, if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature. Mrs. Denver W. Anderson Eva, Tennessee 1994

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