Cherry Pie

Makes 1 - 9 inch pie

I love sour cherries in general, but definitely in baking - they are so delicious! Recipe adapted from Nick Malgieri.

1 recipe pie dough

2 pints cherries (pitted and chopped)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ cup orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons butter

Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt)

Preheat the oven to 375°F

• Combine 1 cup of the cherries with the sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the cherries soften and begin excluding liquid, about 7 minutes.

• Combine the cornstarch and orange juice in a small bowl and whisk into the cherry mixture. Cook, constantly stirring, over medium heat, until the mixture comes to a boil, thickens, and becomes translucent.

• Pour into a large bowl and stir in zest and butter. Cool.

• Pour filling into the rolled out bottom shell.

• Top with cut out shapes of dough.

• Brush with egg wash.

• Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes until the bottom crust is golden.

Pie Dough

In this recipe, I replaced 25% of the flour with stone ground whole wheat flour.

Makes enough for 1 - 9 inch double crust pie

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1teaspoon salt

2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

½ cup heavy cream

2 eggs, beaten

• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt.

• Add butter, and use a pastry blender to work the butter until in small pea-size pieces.

• Stir in heavy cream and egg until just combined. If the mixture appears dry, add 1 tablespoon of water.

• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

To roll the dough:

• Using as much flour as needed, but not an excess, roll one piece of dough into a 12-inch circle and drape across a 9-inch pie plate.

• Dust off excess flour with a pastry brush, using it to press the dough into the corners of the pan gently.

• With scissors or kitchen shears, trim the edge of the dough so that it overhangs by 1 1/4 inches all around.

• Fold the overhang under itself to create a thick border atop the pan's rim. Crimp or shape crust as desired.

• Repeat the rolling with the remaining dough.

• Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place on top of the pie filling.