Ingredients
For filling:
3/4 cup peeled and mashed persimmons
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin.
For dough:
2 cups White Lily self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter
2/3 cup milk.
For assembling, frying, and finishing:
all-purpose flour
water
butter
vegetable oil
powdered sugar
Directions
Combine persimmon pulp and sugar in a bowl, and stir to dissolve sugar. In a small bowl, combine boiling water and gelatin and stir until gelatin dissolves. Add to persimmons and stir to mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours (or place in freezer for a shorter period) until persimmon mixture thickens. Add White Lily flour to bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Cut butter into small pieces and add to bowl. Pulse a few times until flour resembles coarse cornmeal. Add milk and pulse briefly so dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough onto a surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour. Knead dough once or twice and then divide into 14 portions. Roll one portion into a round about 4-to-5 inches in diameter. Place a teaspoonful of persimmon mixture in the center. Moisten edge of half the dough with water, fold the other half over and press with fingertips to seal. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. In a large skillet over medium heat, add equal amounts of butter and oil to a depth of about one-quarter inch. Cook a few pies at a time, avoiding overcrowding, until they_re browned on one side. Turn and brown on the other side, then remove and drain on paper towels. Continue cooking pies in batches, adding more butter and oil as necessary and drain when done. Transfer pies to plates or platter and dust generously with powdered sugar. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
