I thought I’d make some fruit filled pockets. I had some pie dough left over and simply bought some fruit pie filling in the can. You can certainly make your own fruit filling but I was in a hurry today. You can also buy the pre-made pie dough. It works just as well.

Ingredients

Crust (Makes a two crust whole pie or 12 large fruit pockets)
* 2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter (I popped mine in the freezer for 1/2 hour)
* 1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water (will be crumbly but will come together after working it for a bit with your hands)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
2. Cut in the shortening until it’s in lumps the size of small peas.
3. Dice the butter into 1/2″ pieces, and cut into the mixture until you have flakes.
4. Add the water, two tablespoons at a time, mixing with a fork as you sprinkle the water into the dough
5. When the dough is moist enough to hold together when you squeeze it, transfer it to a piece of wax or parchment paper.
6. Fold the dough over on itself three or four times to bring it together, then divide it in half and pat it into two disks 3/4″ thick.
7. Roll the disk on its edge, like a wheel, to smooth out the edges. This step will ensure your dough will roll out evenly, without a lot of cracks and splits at the edges later. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out.
8. Roll out one disk into about a 13 inch circle.
9. Cut out circles using an empanada press, a plate or just eyeball it. Mine were 6 inches in diameter.
10.Wet edges with water
11.Fill one side with your fruit, fold and pinch together with fork.
12.Brush with egg wash
13.Sprinkle with sugar (optional)

Bake on parchment paper in a 425 oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden on top.
Serve warm with ice cream!