Pat's Fried Apple Pies

Photo: Patricia Rains

Ingredients

12 medium size Granny Smith Apples

3/4 cup water

2 cups sugar, (more or less, depending upon how tart you want the filling to taste)

2 teaspoons cinnamon (again, more or less, according to taste)

1/2 teaspoon cloves

3 tablespoons heaping cornstarch (You can use flour if no cornstarch i

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring

Pillsbury Grands, or similar brand, canned biscuits (I like to use the “flaky layered” kind from Kroger

Crisco vegetable oil

Butter flavor Crisco solid

Preparation

DIRECTIONS:

Peel and thinly slice apples into a large heavy pan (I use a 5 quart dutch oven). Add water, cover and simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally until apples fall apart.

While apples are cooking combine dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl (I use a wire wisk to mix the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, and salt). When apples have cooked sufficiently to fall apart, add the dry ingredients all at once. This will cause the apples to “thin” at first, then as you continue stirring, the cornstarch will thicken the filling. Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Allow to cool before storing filling in the refrigerator (leftovers keep well for at least 3 weeks in the refrigerator and indefinitely in the freezer).

When completely chilled, filling is ready to use. (NOTE: If you notice condensed moisture on the top of the filling when removing it from the refrigerator, use a paper towel to blot the excess moisture from the filling. If you don’t it could cause the filling to thin.) To make pies, remove canned biscuits from container and coat each one with flour, pressing them flat with your palms and laying them aside until all are coated. Roll each portion to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness on floured board or waxed paper. These should be ovals. Place about 2 tablespoons apple mixture on the lower half of each rolled biscuit, being careful to leave about a ¼ inch margin along edges. To seal pies, very LIGHTLY moisten lower edges with water (a bast

Fry in a mixture (equal amounts of each) of CRISCO oil and butter CRISCO solid in a large skillet. Heat Crisco mixture until it sizzles when a pinch of flour is dropped into it. Fry pies until golden brown on both sides, turning once or twice, if needed. CAUTION: It only takes a minute to fry these, so be careful not to burn them. When you see the edges turning golden, flip the pie so it can cook on the other side, then remove and drain well on paper towels. You can make as many or as few of these as you like, since the filling stores very well in the refrigerator. ENJOY!