Tried It & Loved It: Cherry Pie

Remember all those pie cherries I was given last summer?   Well, they've been in the freezer from quite some time and I needed to get cracking at using some up.

I loved the way my pumpkin pie turned out at Thanksgiving (a recipe from The Food Network's Tyler Florence) and thought the pie crust was so good--so I used that pie crust recipe--just doubling it for the two crust pie.  I like the fact that Tyler's uses butter--a real food, but I also improvised this time around and did half all purpose, half whole wheat flour.  Awhile back, I tried making up my own crust recipe when I made a lemon meringue pie last spring and although it tasted good, it sort of shrank while baking.  So I decided to go with his, since it turned out so well before.  (For the record, Lucy's crust recipe calls for lard, which of course is a real food as well, but the only lard that I can purchase (at least that I have found) is still partially hydrogenated (blech!), plus I don't really care for the taste.  Still need to try rendering my own lard....it's on my to-do list.).  So for now, it's a butter based crust.

For the cherry filling, I used another one of Lucy's recipes.  Her recipes don't disappoint and I knew that hers would be a safe bet.  Plus, Lucy lives on a cherry orchard, so I figured she knows a thing or two about cherries!  If you get a chance, drop her a line and tell her her kitchen blog misses her, because I am sure having a fun little bundle of joy wouldn't have anything to do with lack of recipe posts!    *Wink*

 Cherry Pie ~ from Lucy and Tyler

Crust:

2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cup whole wheat flour
5 teaspoons sugar
2 pinches of salt
1 1/2 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

In a food processor, measure out flours, sugar, and salt.  Pulse to combine.  Add in butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (sort of like that processed Parmesan cheese in can).  Add in 6 tablespoons ice water until the dough holds together in a ball.  If dough is still too dry, add in ice water 1 teaspoon at a time until it holds together.  Split dough in half and shape each into a ball and flatten.  Wrap each dough disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  On a floured surface, roll each disk out into an 11- to 12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin.  Fold bottom crust into quarters and ease into a greased 9-inch pie pan; press firmly into the bottom and sides.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Filling:

4 cups pitted sour cherries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup plus some white sugar (I did use rapadura--it does make for a darker colored filling, but we thought it still tasted yummy)
4 tbsp cornstarch
Water
1 tsp. almond extract (if using standard sugar, you probably don't need as much)

Add the cherries and sugar/rapadura into a saucepan. Heat over medium until sugar dissolves.  Dissolve the cornstarch in water. Bring the cherries to a boil and add the cornstarch/water mixture, stirring until desired thickness is reached.  Remove from heat and add in almond extract and cool 10 minutes.  Pour filling into pie crust. Cover with top crust and seal edges.  Cut slits in top crust to allow steam out.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired--who wouldn't desire?  Enjoy!