Ednas Fry Pies Food

FRIED PIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, mix together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Cut in 1 cup of the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 of the eggs and the buttermilk and stir until it just comes together. Add a little more buttermilk if needed. Form it into a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• To make the pies, roll the pastry out into a large square. Trim the edges to make a rectangle. Cut into 8 to 10 long rectangles, using a butter knife.
• Spoon a tablespoon or so of filling into the top half of one of the rectangles.
• Use the remaining beaten eggs to seal the edges by folding the bottom half of the rectangle over the top. Then crimp the edges shut with a fork. Repeat with the other pies, filling half with apple pie filling and half with cherry pie filling.
• Heat shortening in a medium, deep saucepan over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the pies until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and immediately drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

EDNA'S FRY PIES

Steps:

• To make pies, combine in large bowl the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Add water, a little at a time, until the flour mixture is moistened. Form into 4 balls. , Divide each ball into 10 pieces and roll each piece into a circle. Top one side of circle with filling and fold circle in half. Crimp edges to seal. , Heat shortening; fry a few pies at a time in deep fat until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. , Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. While pies are still warm, dip them into glaze. Allow pies to drip on wire racks until cool.

MAMA'S FRIED PIES

Steps:

• Cook fruit in water until tender. Drain and mix with sugar and margarine. Mash well. Refrigerate overnight if possible. Roll out homemade piecrust dough and cut into saucer-sized circles.
• Spoon fruit onto circles and fold over into crescent shapes, then close the edges completely with a fork. Fry until golden brown. Place fried pies on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Variations: For baked pies, place crescents on a lightly-greased baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.
• For apple pies, use dried apples and add apple pie spice (or nutmeg and cinnamon) and vanilla to taste.
• For prune pies, use dry, pitted prunes and add vanilla to taste.
• Place the flour and a dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry blender or use your hands, as I do. Add the water, a teaspoon at a time, kneading until the dough is smooth.

FRIED APPLE PIES

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, baking powder, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture just resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg with 1/4 cup ice water, then drizzle evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated.
• Gather dough and knead just until smooth, 3 or 4 times, on a lightly floured surface (do not overwork, or pastry will be tough). Form dough into 2 (5-inch) disks and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Make filling:
• Briskly simmer all filling ingredients and a pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally and mashing apples with a potato masher as they soften, until a thick purée forms, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
• Make pies:
• Divide 1 disk of dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 6-inch round, then put 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in center. Lightly moisten edge with water and fold dough over to form a half-circle, pressing out air around filling, then pressing edge to seal. Transfer to a large sheet of parchment paper and press floured tines of a fork around edge. Make more pies with remaining dough and filling (you may have some filling left over).
• Fry pies:
• Set a cooling rack on a large baking sheet or tray. Heat 2 inches of oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until it registers 360 to 370°F on thermometer. Fry pies, 3 or 4 at a time, turning occasionally, until deep golden-brown, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to rack to drain. Return oil to 360 to 370°F between batches.
• Dust warm pies with confectioners sugar before serving.

AUNT EDNA'S DILL PICKLES

Steps:

• How many cucumbers? Who knows. Obviously lots.
• Wash cukes and rub off spines.
• Arrange in sterilized jars, add dill, garlic, and a few sliced carrots, if using.
• Bring water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil and pour into jars.
• Seal jars (by hand) then immerse jars in hot water bath for a few minutes to seal.

EDNA'S FRIED RICE

Steps:

• In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and discard some of the bacon fat; keep 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.
• Return the skillet to the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the bacon fat.
• Add the onion, the celery, 1/2 of the green onions and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, green pepper and mushrooms.
• Cook another 3 minutes.
• Add the cooked rice, soya sauce and stir to coat.
• Stir together.
• Push rice mixture on edge of pan and add beaten egg in the center. Let the egg set for 1 to 2 minutes, then scramble them with a fork and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir the eggs into the rice, breaking them up into small pieces. Turn off the heat.
• Add the bacon; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the fried rice to a serving platter and sprinkle with remaining chopped green onions.
• Tip: This serves 4 if it is served with another dish or 2 if it is the main dish.
• A great way to use leftover rice.
• It can be made ahead of time and frozen.