Sweet or sour, it's delicious either way.
(Photo by Stacey Haines)
Classic Cherry Pie
- 3 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
* Pit cherries by hand for a prettier pie
Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until cornstarch turns clear, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla extract and lemon juice.
Set aside until ready to fill pie.
Note: Sour cherries may be substituted for sweet cherries.
(Photo by Stacey Haines)
Lattice-top Pie Crust
For one double-crust pie:
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1/2 cup cold water
Mix flour, sugar and salt; using a pastry cutter or food processor, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles large crumbs. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the mixture can be compressed into a ball. Knead gently on a floured surface until the mixture has compressed into a soft, workable dough. Separate the dough into two halves and flatten each into a thick disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
After refrigerating, allow the dough to sit for five minutes or until just soft enough to roll easily. Roll one half from center to edge until dough is slightly larger than the diameter of the pan. Fit pastry into pie plate; trim dough 1/2 to 1 inch beyond edge. Fold under and flute. Fill pastry with prepared cherries.
For the lattice top, roll out the other half of pie dough until it extends about a half inch beyond the pan’s rim. Using a butter knife, or pizza or pastry wheel, cut dough into 1/2 inch -wide strips. Lay 4 to 7 strips of dough parallel on top of filling, leaving 1/2 inch space between them. Fold back every other strip. Place one, long strip of dough perpendicular to the parallel strips and unfold over perpendicular strip. Repeat until weave is complete. Trim edges so the strips are even with base pie crust. Crimp edges to secure.
Preheat oven 375 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes or until filling begins to bubble.
—Serves 6
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