Fried pies are single-portion handheld desserts made with a sweet, usually fruity filling encased in crispy fried pastry. They are closely associated with the American South, where they are common sight on diner menus and in home kitchens. They also have a long-standing association with African-American cuisine, in the form of soul food fried pies. African-American cooks have added their own techniques and ingredients to the fried pie repertoire, resulting in an extensive and diverse range of variations.
Traditionally scraped together from leftover dough and fat and filled with spicy fruit or creamy custard, a good fried pie is a treat to be treasured. Today the little pocket-sized pockets of goodness are more likely to be found in restaurants or diners, but they can easily be made at home.
Dough
2 cups flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon saltFilling8 medium pears, Comice or other firm ripe variety, peeled and cored, diced 1 cup sugar 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup butter, softenedEgg wash, for sealing:Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece to make a six inch circle (a lid or any 6″ round object works well). Place a generous tablespoon of the pie filling in the center of one half of the pastry circle. Moisten the edges of the circle with wet fingertips to help them stick together when you fold over and crimp them. Brush the edges with egg wash and use the tines of a fork to seal the edges. فطاير محمرة