Fried Sweet Tango Apple Hand Pie (from Andrew Zimmern)

While searching for a unique recipe featuring Sweet Tango apples, we came across this one by Minnesota’s own Andrew Zimmern. How perfect! We felt it was worth the extra time it takes to make them. We hope you enjoy them as well.
Ingredients:
For the filling:
10 Sweet Tango apples (roughly one apple per cup of yield)
1 stick salted Butter
1 cup Brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ‘Pumpkin Pie’ spice
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Salt
For the Pastry Dough:
1 can Evaporated milk (12 ounces)
1 beaten Egg
5 cups all-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Lard or Shortening
Canola Oil for frying
Cinnamon and sugar for finishing
Directions:
To make the pastry dough:
1. Combine the milk and egg. Reserve.
2. Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening (Andrew uses a pastry cutter or pastry blender). Combine the two mixtures, but don’t overwork. Cutting in as briefly as possible, work only until the dry mix is moistened. You don’t want clumps of dry mix, but when this dough over-mixes, the magic is gone.
3. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
To prepare the apple filling:
1. Peel and core 10 apples. Cut apples into half inch dice. Discard peels and cores.
2. Heat a 14-inch non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and sugar. When foaming, add the apples, pumpkin pie spice and lemon juice. Turn the heat to medium-high.
3. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing as you go. The apples should sweat and give off their liquids. Reduce the mixture until the butter and sugar become thick and carameled around the cooked apples.
4. Spill apples out onto a non-stick bakers mat fitted into a tray. Let cool. Utilize in filling for hand pies.
To make the apple hand pies:
1. Roll pastry out onto a lightly floured board. Make circles about 6 inches across and 1/8-inch thick.
2. Fill half of the circle with apple mixture. Fold to make half moons. Seal edges tightly, using your fingers or a fork. A turnover press works well.
3. Place canola oil in a plug-in deep fryer or a large pot. Deep fry the apple hand pies at about 335 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes, or until nicely browned.
4. Place hot pies directly from fryer onto a baking tray. As they come out of the fryer, sprinkle reasonably heavily with sugar seasoned with ground cinnamon.