I grew up with my mom making fried apple pies. I loved them then and now. I have put a twist on her recipe by baking the pies in the oven. I use my homemade olive oil pie crust to enrobe the cooked apples in. Simply crimp the edges of the dough with a fork to close.
The pies are best enjoyed right out of the oven with a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
Baked Apple Hand Pies
Print RecipeIngredients
- Hand Pies:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, finely chopped (about 2 cups)*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure cane sugar, optional
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- Olive Oil Pie Dough:
- 1/4 cup cold extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pure cane sugar
- 1/3 cup ice-cold water
Instructions
Place the butter in a medium sauté pan, and melt it over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, and cook until almost dissolved. Add the diced apple and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes a chunky applesauce consistency. Let cool slightly.
For the olive oil pie dough, pour the olive oil in a small freezer-safe bowl. Freeze for 5 minutes. Do not freeze for any longer or it will harden.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in the sugar. Add the oil, and mix with a fork until pea-size crumbs form.
Gradually add the cold water, stirring with a fork until the water is absorbed. Use your hands to lightly knead the dough and shape it into a ball.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place the Olive Oil Pie Dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle a little flour over the dough. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about a 1⁄8 -inch thick circle. Using a 4-inch round cutter (I use a wide-mouth Mason jar lid), cut the dough into rounds. Form the scraps of dough together, and roll out again. Repeat to create a total of 13 rounds.
Roll each round into a 4 1⁄2 -inch circle. Place about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of the apple mixture on one half of each dough round. Rub some of the beaten egg around the rim of the dough. Fold the dough over, and pinch closed. Using a fork dipped in flour, press around the edges of each pie to seal. Place the filled pies
on the baking sheet. Lightly brush the top of the pies with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle the cane sugar and 1⁄ 8 teaspoon cinnamon on top, if using.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool slightly, 3 minutes, before serving.
Notes
*You can use your favorite baking apple. I like to combine a tart and a sweet apple together like a Granny Smith and Fuji or Jona Gold. Recipe featured in New Southern Table cookbook.
No Comments