Fried Pies

Every once in a while I have a flashback to certain Texas foods, and yesterday it was fried pies that I thought about.  Yes, ooooeeyy pie filling, wrapped lovingly in a flaky pie crust, then crimped into a half moon shape, sealed with a dab of water and a squeeze.  Then lightly fried until golden and piping hot.  Once removed from the oil, immediately sprinkle generously with cinnamon suger, yum yum!
As lots of my inspiration comes from what I happen to have on hand that may spoil if not used, this recipe started out as leftover granny smith apples from a party.  There they sat, on my kitchen table, staring at me as if they already knew their fate.  Just waiting long enough to grow some brown spots and ease my conscious for throwing them out.  Not this time, though!  I gathered them up and dunked them into a bowlful of water, then peeled, cored, and sliced them into a pan.  Adding some water, a handful each of white and brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon, I brought them to a gentle simmer.  The whole house smelled wonderful and for that alone I was grateful that these beautiful fruit did not end up in the garbage, like so many perishables that I neglect until it is too late, sometimes waaaayyyy too late!
Once I cooled this mixture down, tasted it for the right amount of sweetness, I ladled about 3 cups into the center of a flat circle of purchased pie crust.  I pulled up the edges of the crust and just sort of pinched them around the edges.  Looked pretty country style, but baked it for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees and it came out brown and crusty and delicious, especially when topped with ice cream.
Since I had some leftover filling, I decided to do the fried pie as well, and let me tell you, it was just like I remembered.  All of the Texas bakeries when I was growing up had fresh fried pies and the fond memories of them come flooding back in that first bite.  Funny how food can have that effect on us.