This tasty pie comes courtesy of Gesine Bullock-Prado. "The cherries from the trees on our property, those red orbs of juiciness, have us beside ourselves with anticipation each year," she says. "Unfortunately, the birds share our enthusiasm, and it's cause for great celebration when we manage to harvest enough for a single pie. You can, of course, use frozen cherries instead."
To make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Slowly add the water and lemon juice, pulsing until the dough just comes together. Squeeze a bit of dough between your fingers: if it holds its shape, it's good to go. If it doesn't, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Divide the dough (for a two-crust pie, make one piece slightly larger than the other). Pat each piece of dough into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Roll the larger disk of dough into a 12" round. Transfer it to a 9" pie pan and prick the bottom all over with a fork. Crimp the edges, and refrigerate while you make the filling.
To make the filling: Pit the cherries in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and vanilla; pour over the cherries and stir to coat.
In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, ClearJel, nutmeg, salt, and orange zest. Pour over the cherries and stir to evenly coat.
To assemble: On a floured work surface, roll the remaining dough into a 12" round. Cut into strips for a lattice, or cut out shapes, whichever you like.
Fill the lined pie plate with the cherries. Grate the frozen butter over the filling. Place the decorative top crust on the pie.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling in the center. Remove the pie from the oven and cool it completely before slicing.
Flour, cornstarch, tapioca, ClearJel… how much thickener should you use? For a practical look at all the options, see our Fruit Pie Thickeners Guide.
