Megan’s great-grandmother, Treva Martin, made these pies every fall. She used dried apples exclusively, but we like to throw in some fresh, tart apple as well. After frying, these pies should be rustic-looking and unevenly browned. That is part of their charm.

Prepare:

Divide the dough in half, wrap tightly, and refrigerate. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Place in a medium saucepan:

Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the water is almost completely evaporated and the fresh apples are crisp tender. Transfer the mixture to a plate to cool completely.

Working with half of the dough, roll out ⅛ inch thick. Cut the dough into 6 ½- to 7-inch rounds using a small plate as a template. Place ⅓ cup of the filling on half of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Brush the edge of the dough lightly with water. Fold the bare half of the dough over the filling to make a half-moon shape and press it closed with the tines of a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, rerolling any dough scraps one time. You should get 6 pies in total. Refrigerate the pies for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat in a large skillet over medium heat:

When the fat is hot, add 2 pies to the skillet. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip and brown the second side, about 4 minutes more, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent the pies from browning too quickly. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining pies, adding more shortening to the skillet as needed or wiping out the skillet between batches if the flour particles start to burn. Serve warm or at room temperature.