Cherry Pie

I modeled this recipe after the one from Sweetie Pies in Fish Creek, Door County, but I use an all-butter crust instead of shortening for an even richer, flakier consistency.

COOK TIME

90minutes

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1-¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, cold
• 3–5 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 cups well-drained bottled tart Montmorency cherries in unsweetened cherry juice.
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Topping

• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

• 1 For the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in the butter until it is the size of coarse crumbs. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the ice water over the top and stir with a fork. Gently knead the mixture with your hands until the dough holds together. If it is dry, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead until the dough holds together. Shape into two oval disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.
• 2 Roll one of the chilled dough disks on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness and about 11 inches in diameter. Gently roll the pastry around the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan or dish. Without stretching the dough, fit it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• 3 Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC).
• 4 For the filling, combine the sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add the cherries and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the pie shell and top with the butter.
• 5 Roll out the remaining dough disk to 1/8 inch thick and about 11 inches in diameter. Drape the dough over the cherry filling. Fold the edges under the bottom crust and flute attractively or use a fork to press down the crust. Cut several slits in the center of the pie to allow steam to escape during baking.
• 6 For the topping, brush the milk over the top and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the pie.
• 7 Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.