Chocolate fried pies (as made in Tn.)

Place the sugar ,cocoa powder, salt ,and butter into a large zipper topped bag . Squeeze the bag to mix and combine the ingredients.Cut a hole in one corner of the bag . Squeeze or pipe one or two tablespoons of the mixture into the dough center and proceed as for other fried pies. Yield 10 to 15 pies

PASTRY....
Combine the flour ,baking powder and salt in the food processer bowl . Pulse for a few seconds and then pour into a LARGE mixing bowl.
Add the shortening and knead into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly.Add the milk all at once. Mix with a spatula until it begins to come together . Lightly flour your hands and the countertop and turn the dough out on to the countertop . Knead the dough ball ,folding over 10 or 20 times. Use a rolling pin roll out the dough to 1/3 to1/2 thickness , then cut into rounds with
a 2 1/4 inch ring cutter or you can use a cup or a glass that is approximatly that size . Roll each round as thin as you can till it is about 5 inches in diameter. Spoon in the filling ,1 or 2 spoonfulls,( or squeeze in if making Chocolate pies)
onto the dough circles , brush the edges of half the circle lightly with egg wash ,fold over and seal the edges together by pressing together with the prongs of a fork . Dip in flour if you need to. . Press down softly to flatten and spread the filling out a little .
Pan fry the pies in skillet or saute pan in 1 or 2 tablespoons oil use low heat ...once heated place 2 or 3 pies in a time into the pan and saute until golden brown on both sides ...about 4 minutes per side till done. Allow to cool 4 or 5 min. before you serve them.

This pastry works with other filling quite well even canned pie filling.