Hand held apple pies are something I remember eating as a child, but they were not homemade. I have made plenty of Apple Pies, but never hand held ones. They are quite delicious!
HISTORY OF PIES
The Greeks are thought have been the creators of the pastry shell which was simply water and flour combined. Back then their pies were mainly meat pies. The crust was only a vessel to hold the contents inside and was inedible. A very thick dough was made to with stand long baking hours and to preserve the juices of the meat.
The American Pie Council, states that the first fruit pies or tarts were probably made in the 1500’s. Pie making dates back to Egypt, Greece, Rome, Europe and then America.
References: http://www.everythingpies.com, http://www.whatscookingamerica.net
PIE CRUST
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour)
- 2/3 cup margarine
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 6-8 tablespoons water
Get ready to make some hand held apple pies. Put your flour into a mixing bowl and then cut in your margarine until it resembles pea sized crumbs. Next, add in your salt and eggs and mix together until combined. You will only need to add xanthan gum if it is not already in the flour you are using. This helps hold the dough together since it does not have any gluten in it. Begin adding your water until you get a sticky consistency.
TIP: After making your pie dough put it in the fridge to chill. This will make it easier to work with and keep the margarine cold, so you get a flaky crust
FILLING
- 6 cups of apples sliced, peeled, and cored (Gala or Empire are good choices)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
You make the filling for the hand held apple pies the same as way you as you would for a large pie. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Put them into a bowl with the sugar and flour. Mix up the ingredients and set aside.
Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Take one section of dough and start rolling it out into a circle. Spoon 1 1/2- 2 tablespoons of the apple mixture onto the pie dough. Fold the dough over and pinch the ends together. Remember to cut holes in the top of the dough to let out steam. Brush the top with egg wash and put the pies in the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
You can add some icing to the hand held apple pie by mixing some confectioners sugar and water. Mix the water one tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you want.