Blanketed with big-bushy trees that flame red and orange in the fall, then soak up the snowflakes in the winter, and burst with green the rest of the year, Holmes County, Ohio is a world apart. 
 
And along the road, it’s not uncommon to see Amish buggies with horses plodding along the gently, curving roads. 

 
As newcomers to Ohio, one of the first places we traveled to was Amish country. 
 
Ohio’s Holmes County has one of the largest populations of Amish in the U.S. The Amish are known for their simple, religious lifestyle and their commitment to self-reliance, which means avoiding technology like cars and public power. 
 
They’re also reputed for hand-crafted baked goods.

 
Cinnamon rolls swirled with buttery spice and topped with maple icing. Pecan rolls with soft, golden caramel. Crumble apple pie. Lemon meringue pie. Donuts. Rolls. Cookies. Bars. More cookies. More pies. You get the idea.
 
But fry pies are in their own category of goodness. 

 
Like a piece of pie you can hold in your hand, the crisp-coated pies are filled with things like apple, lemon, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, and chocolate. The finished touch is a sweet glaze that gives them a shiny sheen. 

 
Around northeast Ohio, you can find Amish-made fry pies in many of the local grocers. My kids now each have their favorite flavor. And when my in-laws visit, they take back piles of them in the carry on. 
 
They’re that addictive.
 
Not anywhere near Ohio? You can purchase a fry pie maker online that give the hand pies their characteristic large puff of filling. But, if you want to try them out at home for fun, you can make a quick version using premade pie crust dough. Now, these aren’t nearly as good as the ones you’d get in Holmes County – but they at least give you a flavor of what fry pies are like.
 
While I’ve seen plenty of interesting Amish fry pie flavors, I’ve never encountered a Nutella-filled variety. So for our version, we filled circles of premade dough with Nutella and then fried them, glazing them just after they were heated through. The end result – a taste of Holmes County at our house. 
 

 
 

Quick & Easy Nutella Amish Fry Pies Recipe

Yield: 12 (from a 3” diameter biscuit cutter)
 
Ingredients
1 package of premade pie shells (2)
12 tbsp. Nutella
 
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk (or cream, buttermilk)
½ tsp. vanilla
 
Oil for frying
 
Directions
1. Spread the pie crust out onto a cutting board and use a 3” biscuit cutter to make 12 rounds. 

2. Put 1 tbsp. Nutella in the center of each round.

3. Use your finger to dab water on each round’s edge.

4. Fold the dough over and seal the edges while gently spreading the Nutella evenly in the folded over round.

5. In a bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients.

6. Heat the oil to medium-high heat in a wok or deep, cast iron skillet.

7. Working in batches of 3-4, fry the folded rounds for 2-3 minutes, or until just golden.

8. As soon as the fry pies are removed from the oil, brush generously with the glaze. (The glaze will harden as it cools.)

 
*Fry pies are the best a day or two after making. 

Kristen J. Gough is the Global Cuisines & Kids Editor for Wandering Educators. She shares her family's adventurous food experiences--and recipes--at MyKidsEatSquid.com.

All photos courtesy and copyright MyKidsEatSquid