Ingredients

• Dough

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons shortening, chilled

  Filling

  • 1/4 cup water, cold
  • 1 cup apple cider or juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 pounds Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
  • 1 egg, beaten

  Frying

  • 6 to 8 cups vegetable oil
  • Powdered sugar

  Special Equipment

  • Deep cast-iron pan or Dutch oven
  • Deep-frying thermometer or candy thermometer
  • Spider skimmer or slotted spoon

Make the Crust and Prepare the Filling

• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour, using a pastry cutter or fork.

  Add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is pliable enough to form a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

  Mix the apple cider or juice and granulated sugar in a saucepan. Sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a pinch of salt. Simmer the cider until it reduces by half.

  Mix the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest in a mixing bowl and add them to the saucepan. Turn the heat to "Low" and simmer until the apples soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Set the apple filling aside.

Fill and Fry

• Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick on a floured work surface. Cut the dough into 5- or 6-inch rounds, using a saucer as a guide.

  Brush the edges of each dough round with the beaten egg. Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling on half of each round.

  Fold the rounds over to form the pies and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.

  Fill a cast-iron frying pan or Dutch oven with 6 to 8 inches of vegetable oil. Set it over medium heat on the stove and heat it until it reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Lower 2 or 3 pies into the oil, using a slotted spoon or spider. Fry the apple pies until golden brown, about 6 minutes each side. Retrieve the pies with the slotted spoon or spider and set them on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot.

Cooking Notes

• Keep the diced apples fresh. After dicing, place the apples in a bowl of cold water.

  Need a shortcut or variation on the old-fashioned crust? Substitute prepared biscuit dough or frozen puff pastry. Both are easy to work with and fry to a flaky finish.