For Christmas this year, my job was to create a pie. Well, actually, I had no job at all in terms of food for the festivities, but I couldn’t resist and volunteered myself to bake. I suggested fruity, frivolous, and faithfully creative concoctions. However, the family insisted on simple, basic…nothing out of the ordinary. Thus, we settled upon a Simple Cherry Pie.
Oh, and yes…I’m just now getting around to posting this recipe. Christmas seems like decades ago now…but Cherry Pie season and the 4th of July is rapidly approaching. And besides, do we really need a festive excuse for Cherry Pie? I definitely do not think so.
Simple Cherry Pie
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
8 Tbs. cold butter, cubed into 1″ pieces
1 large egg
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1-2 Tbs. cold water
Combine all the dough ingredients in the large bowl of a food processor, minus the water. Pulse until crumbly. Add a bit of water and pulse into a dough-like crumbly consistency.
Transfer to parchment paper and form into a disc.
Top with another layer of parchment and roll out into a large round that will fill a pie plate. Move to the pie plate and flute the edges.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Fill the pie with pie weights and bake for about 20 minutes. (If you have any leftover dough, stamp out cherries or other decorations for the top).
Filling:
1 lb. frozen, pitted cherries, thawed
13 oz. Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves
Combine the cherries and preserves in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir well and heat until all is combined.
Transfer to the pre-baked pie crust and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Bake (with the decorative topping) for another 25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
Allow to cool and set for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.
