Pacific Northwest Bing Cherry Pie |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Cherry pie is my absolute favorite pie! I’m not talking about the canned filling cherry pie, no way no how. I am talking about getting your fingers stained and belly full of fresh Bings long before filling hits crust cherry pie. Read more . Oh yeah, you know what I mean! The taste difference between fresh and canned is well beyond what you would think possible. One great thing about living in the Pacific Northwest is the abundance of Fresh Cherries in spring. I have a cherry tree in my yard so I get them every year if I can beat the birds and neighborhood kids to them. There are two sayings that have stuck in my mind over the years that have had an effect on my cooking. One was by an accomplished chef who told me “the three most important ingredients in any dish are fresh, fresh, and fresh”. The other was by an old grizzled guy that worked in an auto body shop who was quite fond of saying “you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken $#!t”. The point here is use fresh, high quality ingredients and homemade crust for this recipe and you will be duly rewarded. FYI, I have used Rainer cherries in the past for this recipe, and although it made a good pie, Bings make this pie rock your little pie world. Ingredients:
9 double pie crust. see my homemade piecrust from scratch recipe. |
4 cups bing cherries, pitted |
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice |
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice |
2 tablespoons cornstarch |
1 to 11/2 cups sugar (depending on the sweetness of the fruit and your taste) |
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
pinch of salt |
1/4 teaspoon almond extract |
1 tablespoon grated orange zest |
1 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces |
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F
2. Place the cherries in a large bowl. Mix orange and lemon juices with the cornstarch, then combine with sugar, cinnamon and salt. Toss with the cherries. Let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Add the almond extract and the orange zest; toss well.
4. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one crust and prick all over with a fork.
5. Spoon the cherry filling evenly into the crust and dot all over with butter.
6. Cover with a top crust and moisten the crusts where they meet with water, then turn the top crust under the bottom and flute the edge.
7. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
8. Optionally decorate the top crust by rolling out dough scraps and cutting/forming into cherries, hearts, puppies, bowling balls, lunar landers, genitalia, or whatever shapes tickles your fancy.
9. Bake pie in center of the oven for 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is nicely golden.
10. Let cool on a rack before serving warm or at room temperature.
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