Fresh cherries are only part of the secret to making a phenomenal cherry pie.
This recipe makes the best cherry pie ever and the only one you will ever want to make again!

Cherry Pie. It’s legendary, a part of American culture.

But when was the last time you had a cherry pie? More importantly, have you ever made a cherry pie without using canned cherry pie filling? If you have, you know what I am talking about. If you haven’t, you are in for a treat!

The thing about convenience foods is they are convenient (Duh). But all too often flavor is sacrificed in the creation of that convenience. Pitting two pounds of cherries is not particularly quick or convenient. So, what’s the difference?

The difference is pieces of whole cherries which are still a little firm with a clean fresh cherry taste, preservative-free.

The difference is a silky-smooth base of thickened cherry juice with just a touch of sweetness.

The difference is the smallest touch of almond, just a hint on the back of your tongue.

The difference is between a pie no-one seems to make or really want to eat and a phenomenal pie that you will have trouble keeping in your house.

Seems like a pretty good return on fifteen minutes of cherry-pitting!

It helps if you have a cherry pitter but if you don’t a sharp knife will do the trick.

My Cherry Pitter loks like something my Grandmother would have owned!

Pit the cherries over a sieve and a bowl to catch any juices. Put the cherry pits and stems in the sieve as well. Once you are finished pitting the cherries, use the back of a spoon to squeeze the pits to get any remaining juice out of any bits of cherry left on the pits. Add the juice to the pitted cherries.

You may only get a tablespoon or two of juice but why waste it?

From this point forward it’s pretty much like any other pie. Add your thickening agent and flavorings.

My preferred thickener is tapioca. Its neutral flavor lets the fruit shine. Instant tapicoa pudding will form little pearl in the filling which is one of my favorite parts of a peach or blueberry pie. But for this pie, I wanted a smooth finish on the thickened juices so I opted for Tapioca flour (also called Tapicoa Starch).

I let this sit for 15 minutes to start the tapioca thickening process and then go on to roll the pastry and assemble the pie.

Since it is a cherry pie, it screams for a lattice top. Some people like to weave the lattice on parchment paper or a silicone rolling mat and then transfering it to the pie top. I find it easier to weave on the pie.

Finally an egg wash and a liberal sprinkle of sugar before the pie gets baked to golden bubbly deliciousness.

Can she bake a Cherry Pie? You bet she can!

A PHENOMENAL CHERRY PIE

Author Susan Murray, www.awomancooksinasheville.com

Ingredients

5 c pitted cherries 2 lbs FRESH whole cherries
1 tbsp Crème de Cassis
¼ tsp almond extract
1 c sugar
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup tapioca starch tapioca flour
1 egg beaten
Demerara Sugar

Instructions

Use a cherry pitter or a sharp knife to remove the pits from the cherries. Do this over a sieve placed on top of bowl so you capture any drips of cherry juice. Use the back of a spoon to press in the pits and stems in the bowl to extract any cherry juice from the bits of cherry cling to the pits. Add the juice to the pitted cherries in a medium bowl.
Add the crème de cassis, almond extract, sugar, salt and tapioca starch to the cherries and toss lightly to mix. Let sit for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven and prepare the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out the pastry to fit a 9” pie tin (approximately 11” circle)
Fill the pastry with the cherries, spreading them evenly.
Top with a either a whole pie crust (rolled to fit) or cut the pastry into strip and weave them on top of the pie.
Brush the pastry all over with a well beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then reduce the oven temperature and continue baking until the pastry is browned and the juices are bubbling up around the edges (30-40 minutes).
Let the pie cool completely before serving.

Recipe Notes

Notes:
Use a commercial ready-to-roll pastry or make your own with this recipe.
If you don’t have crème de cassis, a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice can be substituted.
Cane sugar can be substituted for Demerara Sugar

Spread the YUM!