"Can she bake a cherry pie Billy Boy,
Billy Boy?" Yes she can with this
easy and simply superb recipe!
Cherry Pie
Pastry:
2 2/3 cup all-purpose
flour
1 cup Crisco vegetable
shortening, plain or butter-flavored*
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse
salt
6 tablespoons ice
water
Filling:
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 (16-ounce) cans red tart cherries, undrained
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Mix flour and salt in
mixing bowl. Cut shortening
into the flour with a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles
the texture of tiny split peas. Do not use your hands to try and mix it, the heat
from you hands will
melt the shortening, causing the pastry to be "heavy",
not light and flaky.
When mixture is the right
texture, add the ice water and combine
with a fork. It may appear as if it needs more water,
it does not. Quickly gather the dough into a
ball.
Divide dough into two
balls and flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Wrap each in plastic,
and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Remove one piece of dough
from refrigerator. If stiff and very cold, let stand until dough
is cool but malleable.
Roll one dough disk on
a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. To transfer
dough, carefully roll it around the rolling pin, lift and unroll
dough, centering it in an ungreased 9-inch regular or deep-dish
pie plate. (Or you can fold dough in quarters, then place dough
point in center of pie pan and unfold dough, whatever is easiest
for you.)
Gently press dough into
sides of pan, leaving portion that overhangs edge of pie pan
in place. Refrigerate while preparing cherry filling.
Adjust oven rack to center
position and heat oven to 425*F (220*C).
For Filling: Mix sugar and flour in large mixing bowl. Stir
in cherries, extract and food coloring (if desired). Pour into
the pastry-lined pie plate and dot with butter.
Roll out remaining dough disk and place
over filling; seal and flute the edges. Make several slits in
top crust to vent the steam. Sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon sugar.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust
is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.
Transfer pie to wire rack;
cool to room temperature.
Makes 8 servings.
Cook's Note: A lattice-style top crust
is very pretty on a cherry pie. Cut rolled pastry dough into
1/2 to 3/4-inch wide strips and weave them on top of the pie.
Nutrition Facts: (per serving: 1/8 slice
of pie): 607.1 calories; 42% calories from fat; 29.1g total fat;
7.6mg cholesterol; 265.2mg sodium; 174.1mg potassium; 82.5g carbohydrates;
2.7g fiber; 43.2g sugar; 79.8g net carbs; 6.1g protein.
