VegetarianWest Virginia Appalachian cuisine Desserts

West Virginia Half-Moon Fried Pies

Name: West Virginia Half-Moon Fried Pies
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: West Virginia Appalachian
Ingredients: 2 cup dried apples; 2 cup Water; 0.5 cup Brown sugar; 1 tsp Cinnamon; 2.5 cup All-purpose flour; 0.5 cup Lard; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.5 cup cold water; 2 cup Vegetable oil

Hand pies made from a simple pastry dough folded around sweetened cooked dried fruit, then fried until the edges turn deep golden and blistered. A portable dessert once carried into the coal mines and fields alike.

🇺🇸United States· West Virginia

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 290 kcal

Equipment

•Rolling pin
•Cast iron skillet

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 290 kcal
fat: 13
carbs: 40
protein: 3
calories: 290

Instructions

1
Simmer dried apples in water for about 20 minutes until soft. Mash with brown sugar and cinnamon, then let cool.
2
Mix flour and salt together. Cut in lard until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
3
Add cold water gradually. Mix just until the dough comes together.
4
Roll the dough out flat. Cut it into 6-inch rounds.
5
Spoon cooled apple filling onto one half of each round. Leave a clean border around the edge.
6
Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
7
Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet to 350°F. Fry the pies in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
8
Drain the pies on paper towels. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Chef's tips

Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal so the filling does not leak out while frying.

Storage

Store cooled pies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Reheating

Warm briefly in a dry skillet or a 300°F oven to recrisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding too much filling, which causes the pies to burst open
•Frying at too high a temperature, which browns the crust before the center heats through