Tart Cherry Pie with Lattice Crust Recipe

Ingredients

Pie Dough

• 1 recipe for pastry for a double crust pie or 2 frozen pie doughs (rolled, not in pie plate)

Filling

• 5 cups red tart or sour cherries (from 3 cans or jars, drained, juice reserved)
• 1/4 cup reserved cherry juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup cane sugar or maple sugar
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch (or cornstarch, arrowroot, or 1/3 cup all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Egg Wash

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tablespoon cream or milk
• 1–2 teaspoons unbleached organic cane sugar

Instructions

1. Arrange a rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Roll one disk of pie dough on a lightly floured countertop to 1 inch larger than the pie plate diameter. Fit it into the pie plate and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.
3. In a large bowl, combine cherries, reserved cherry juice, almond and vanilla extracts, and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk cane sugar, tapioca starch, and sea salt. Add dry mix to cherry mixture and toss well.
4. Roll second dough disk to a 12-inch circle and cut into 8 equal-width strips. Pour filling into chilled pie crust and dot with butter. Lay 4 strips evenly spaced over filling. Weave remaining strips to form a lattice pattern by folding alternating strips back and layering crosswise strips, then unfolding.
5. Whisk egg yolk and cream in a small bowl. Brush the lattice top with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Do not brush outer crust to prevent over-browning.
6. Place pie on a foil-lined baking sheet on bottom oven rack. Bake at 425°F for 40 minutes, then reduce oven to 375°F and bake an additional 30 minutes until juices bubble and crust is golden. Tent with foil if crust darkens too quickly.
7. Allow pie to cool at least 4 hours before serving for the filling to set. Pie can be prepared a day ahead and stored at room temperature or refrigerated after two days, covered.

Notes

• Use tapioca starch for best filling consistency; cornstarch or arrowroot are acceptable alternatives.
• For a more pronounced almond flavor, increase almond extract slightly.
• The lattice top can be made with thinner or more strips for a delicate look.
• Placing the pie on a baking sheet helps catch drips and makes cleanup easier.
• Cooling the pie thoroughly is important to allow the filling to set properly.
• Freeze leftover pie without the egg wash topping for best texture on reheating.
• If crust browns too fast, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning.