Cherry Pie

For this pie I made use of frozen cherries (it is November, you know). I suppose my primary bias against tinned cherries is the cost, though I suspect the results would be similar. If you decide to use tinned cherries, I’d dramatically cut down the cooking time in cornstarch-perhaps adding them as the mixture begins to thicken.

For the crust, I used my standard recipe which contains no sugar and is made from vegetable shortening without any buter. If you decide to use a part-butter crust, brush the inside with an egg white first to give it some extra stability and to reduce the soggy factor.

For the crust:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 ¼ cups solid vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup very cold water
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar

Sift flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening. Beat egg in water and add vinegar. Add to flour/shortening. Combine and let stand a few minutes before rolling out.

For the filling (9” size)

¾ cup sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
¾ cup water
4 (generous) cups frozen cherries (I used dark, sweet variety)
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (or 1 teaspoon almond extract)
¼ cup heavy cream
granulated sugar for dusting

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a large heavy pot and gradually add water until dissolved. Add fruit. Heat over medium heat (don’t over-do it or the mixture will quickly scorch) until thickened. Remove from heat. Add extract. Pour into pie shell, dot with butter, and top either with a lattice crust or using cut-outs (can be prepared ahead of time-and in the case of the lattice, really should be). Very carefully, brush the cream onto the lattice taking care not to drip onto the pie. Sprinkle with sugar and place in the oven at 400 degrees F. for ten minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and bake until browned checking every five minutes after an initial twenty. Mine took about forty minutes total, but ovens vary. I also used a glass pie plate.

Cool completely before slicing (this will take a good six hours-I’m not kidding, that stuff gets scalding hot).