A Slice of Happiness.

I made a pie. Can you tell?

Did I bake this pie while dancing around the kitchen to Burn the Witch by Queens of the Stone Age? Why yes. How did you know?

Did I bake a pie while sporting an adorable navy blue apron with little red tomato polka dots? Of course! Seriously, where are you hiding?

It may come as a shock to you that this is the very first pie I've ever baked myself. I've aided in the baking of pies, oh yes, but that normally consisted of snacking on sugar and cinnamon coated apples or sitting impatiently in front of the oven. I've also aided in the consumption of said pies. I'm quite experienced in that area of pie expertise.

I've never actually rolled out the dough, filled the shell and covered that sucker up with more dough. I know, it's blasphemous really.

So I've done it. Here's my proof. It's scrumptious.



Cherry Pie

Source: Adapted from my family recipe.

Short Crust Pastry:

2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, cold

1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp vinegar

Cherry Filling:

4 cup sweet cherries, sliced and pitted

1 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp quick cooking tapioca

2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 tsp water

1 tbsp turbinado sugar

Note: This Short Crust Pastry recipe is flaky and light if made properly. Do not use a food processor as this will over-mix the dough and cause the dough to be tough or rubbery. The chunks of butter create air pockets in the pastry as it bakes so over-mixing and over-handling destroy them.

Butter and flour a 9 inch glass pie pan then set it aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until it resembles course crumbs. In a small measuring cup add the vinegar to the milk then drizzle it over top of the flour mixture. Using a spatula lightly stir and fold the liquid into the dry ingredients until it becomes a workable dough.

Using your hands quickly form the dough into two equal balls. Cover one with plastic wrap and place the other on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out using a floured rolling pin into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Roll the circle back onto the rolling pin and use it to transfer the pastry into the prepared pie pan. Smooth it into the corners with your fingers then cut off the excess with a sharp knife.

In another large bowl toss your cherries with lemon juice. In a small bowl mix the sugar and tapioca together then add it to the cherries. Mix that in then let it sit for 15 minutes. Butter the bottom and sides of the bottom pie shell then fill it with the cherries and smooth them out.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees an position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

In a small bowl beat together the egg and water. Roll out the other ball of pastry dough the same way you did before except this time slice it into 12 ? 15 strips using a sharp knife of a pizza cutter. With a pastry brush lightly coat the edge of the bottom pie shell with the egg wash. Weave the lattice pattern alternating the strips of dough over and under until the top is covered. Seal the edges of the lattice pattern with the egg wash then press the edge in place with your fingers. Brush more egg wash over the entire top of the pie then sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly.

Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake it for about 50 minutes until the top is golden brown. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let it sit for at least 1 or 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!