Email to Ron Secor      

Mary Ruth's Peach Apricot Fried Pies

Another one from the Jack Daniels (Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House) site. Everything in moderation, as the saying goes. I wouldn't make a steady diet of these delicious little pastries, but once in a while you just have to live it up a little!


MARY RUTH'S SPECIAL PEACH APRICOT FRIED PIES


Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening or lard
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vinegar

Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in shortening (I like to cut in half then
add the other half because it makes the pastry both flaky and tender) until it resembles
coarse meal. Combine egg, water and vinegar in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture all at
once and stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. You may have to add a little
more water if the dough seems too dry. Shape dough into a ball; cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Roll out a ball of pastry about the size of a golf ball. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit filling on 1/2 of pastry circle leaving about a 1/2 inch edge. Fold over and seal with a fork. Pies may be frozen at this point. Fry frozen or thawed in a skillet of hot oil until golden brown.

Mary Ruth's favorite filling is a combination of peaches and apricots.

Dried Peach Apricot Filling:

3 parts dried peaches
1 part dried apricots

Place fruit in large pot with enough water to cover half of the fruit. Cover. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. In a food processor, combine 2 cups of cooked fruit,
3/4 cup sugar and enough water to blend the fruit. Process until smooth. Mixture should be
smooth and thick.

from Miss Mary Bobo's Boardinghouse