Ingredients
- A favorite pie crust recipe, enough for a double-crusted 9” pie
- 5–6 cups fresh or slightly thawed frozen Montmorency tart cherries
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
- 1 whole egg combined with 2 tablespoons whole milk or half and half
- 1 tablespoon sugar, to sprinkle on top of the pie
Instructions
- If using fresh cherries, remove pits. Save juice that is extracted from the pitting process. If using frozen cherries, thaw the cherries slightly, keeping the juice.
- Place the cherries and juice in a large sauce pot and place on medium-low heat. As the cherries warm, more juice will come out.
- Combine the sugar and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add mixture to the cherries. Put back on medium-low heat and cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the extract. Let cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 375º F. Using a favorite pie dough recipe, roll out dough large enough to fit into a 9-inch pie pan, with about 1 inch of dough hanging over the edge. Place cooled filling into the lined pie pan.
- Combine the whole egg with the milk or half and half. Brush lightly around the edges of the lined pie crust. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 10-inch round pan and place on top of the pie. Trim the dough and crimp. Using a small paring knife make three half-inch slits on the top of the pie to release steam during baking.
- Brush the top of the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking pan (in case it bubbles over). Bake for 45–50 minutes or until nicely browned. Let pie cool for at least one hour before serving.
