This is the first pie Wanda Beaver ever baked! Sour cherries are denser than regular cherries which makes them better for cooking.
ingredients
Double Crust Pastry
Ontario Sour Cherry Pie Filling
directions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Make sure all the ingredients are as cold as possible.
Using a food processor or a pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, butter and shortening. Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together.
Sprinkle with water, let rest for 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a short cylinder. Divide into 2/3 and 1/3 and press into disks. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Allow the dough to warm slightly at room temperature if it is too hard to roll. On a lightly floured board roll the larger disk to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
Cut a circle about 1 1⁄2 inches larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry to the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin.
Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs about 1⁄2 inch over the plate.
Fill with beans or pie weights.
Bake for 15 minutes. Let come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
In a large bowl mix together the cherries, 1 cup sugar, cornstarch and almond extract.
Turn into the prepared crust, leaving room at the edges for sealing and crimping the pastry.
On a lightly floured board, roll out the remaining disk of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 14 3⁄4-inch strips using a knife or decorative crimper.
Cut three 1-inch cherries, three 2 X 1/8 inch cherry stems and two 2-inch leaves out of the remaining pastry.
Weave a lattice, beginning at the center of the pie. Trim the strips, seal and flute the edges.
Place decorative pastry cut outs to resemble 3 cherries joined into 2 leaves. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp sugar.
If time allows, chill for 30 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350ºF.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling in the center.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Store lightly covered at room temperature up to 2 days.