Cherry Pie

Might as well get a head start on makin' some cherry pies for George's b'day. Although, this one is good year round and 'easy as pie' to make.

Let's start with the crust. This one can be made in the food processor or by hand. I prefer to do it by hand because of the greater control of the mixing process. Or, use your favorite recipe for a pie crust.

Mix together 2 cups all purpose flour, a pinch of kosher salt and a pinch of sugar. Cut 6 ounces (1½ sticks) of chilled unsalted butter into ¼" slices. Then cut the slices into quarters. Put into the flour mixture and mix with your hands until butter is pea size, about 4-5 minutes. Add about ½ cup of chilled water and mix with your hands until mixture comes together, about 5 minutes.

Lightly flour the work surface. Blend the dough by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand. Gather it up with a pastry scraper of metal spatula and continue to knead it. After 1-2 minutes, the dough will be as smooth as putty and will peel from the work surface in one piece.

Shape dough into ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or until firm. On a floured surface, roll dough to the required shape working briskly so that it does not soften too much. Keep the dough moving loosely so that it does not stick. Every three or four strokes with the rolling pin, lift the dough and sprinkle the work surface with a little flour. Keep in mind that you need a top and a bottom.

Oven @400°F.

Next, place a pie tin upside down over the dough and cut a circle 1" larger than the pie tin. Place the dough into the pin tin and crimp the edges so that they are about ½" above pie tin. Take a piece of wax paper, fold in half, fold again. Then fold again twice so that you have a small triangle. Place the tip above the center of the pie tin and cut the oposite end about 1½" larger than the diameter of the pie tin.

Spray the wax paper with a little food spray, place sprayed side down on top of the dough and weight it with beans, or what ever else you use. Bake 12 -14 minutes on middle shelf. Remove, and brush with an egg/water solution (one egg with about half the white removed and replaced with 1 teaspoon water beaten together) for about 7 to 8 minutes. The egg wash will keep the dough from becoming soggy if, by chance, the pie lasts more than one meal. Also, baking the dough for 12 minutes gives it the right texture for us. Experiment.

Click title to get the recipe.

Meanwhile, mix together the cherries, sugar, almond extract and tapioca. Before adding the tapioca, a thickening agent, place in a spice mill and pulverize it so it has a better chance of doing what it is suppose to do. Let stand while the crust bakes.

Remove crust from oven, fill with cherry mixture and place your favorite topping on. I like to use a lattice work, easy for me and looks great.

Any questions, shout. Gotta go check on the Weizen I brewed on Sunday. Almost ready to taste.