Cherry Cherry Pie – Country Living

1. Prepare Pastry.

2. Prepare filling: In 3-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 C sugar, the
cornstarch, and salt. Drain liquid from canned cherries into the
saucepan; set cherries aside. Stir cherry liquid into sugar mixture
until no lumps remain. Heat mixture to boiling over medium heat,
stirring frequently; continue cooking 1 minute until mixture is
clear. Stir in reserved cherries, the dried cherries, almond extract,
and food coloring, if desired; set aside.

3. Heat oven to 400’F. Between 2 sheets of floured waxed paper, roll
out one ball of pastry to an 11-inch round. Remove top sheet of paper
and invert pastry into 9-inch pie plate, letting excess extend over
edge. Remove remaining sheet of waxed paper. Spoon cherry filling into
pastry-lined plate.

4. Between sheets of floured waxed paper, roll out remaining pastry
to a 9 1/2-by 7 1/2 inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of paper from
pastry. With fluted pastry wheel or knife, trim long edges to make
them even, then cut rectangle lengthwise into fourteen 1/2-inch-wide
strips.

5. To make lattice crust, place 1 strip in center of pie and another
at right angle to first strip. Place 2 strips, one on each side of
first strip, about 1/4 inch apart. Place 2 more strips, one on each
side of second strip. Continue in this fashion, 2 strips at a time,
moving toward edge of pie, until all strips have been used. Trim off
all strips extending more than 1 inch past rim of pie plate. Lift
edge of bottom crust over ends of strips. Pinch together and flute
edge. Sprinkle remaining 1 t sugar onto pastry strips. Place pie on
rimmed baking sheet.

6. Bake pie 35 to 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and the
filling bubbles. Cool pie on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes before
cutting.

Pastry: In medium-size bowl, combine 2 1/4 C unsifted all-purpose
flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 t salt. With pastry blender or 2
knives, cut 1/2 C (1 stick) butter and 1/4 C vegetable shortening
into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 1
t almond extract and 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water over flour
mixture, 1 T at a time, and mix lightly until pastry holds together
when lightly pressed. Shape pastry into 2 equal balls; flatten each
ball to 1-inch thickness. Wrap and refrigerate pastry for 30 minutes.