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Recipe Detail Page
All-Canadian Cherry Pie
Summer 2004
I was addicted to cherry pie as a teenager and consider myself an expert on good ones. This lattice-topped version is my favourite. Frozen, pitted sour cherries in pails appear in the grocery store around the middle of August. They are a boon to have in the freezer for winter pies. Fresh sour cherries must be pitted. Quick-cooking tapioca is a good method to thicken pies. You can substitute with flour if tapioca is not available.
Serves 8
1 recipe Shortcrust Pastry (recipe follows)
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) quick-cooking tapioca
Pinch salt
5 cups (1.25 L) pitted sour cherries
1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC).
2. Divide pastry into two equal portions. Roll out one half and line a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang. Reserve other portion of dough. Chill pie crust and remaining dough until needed.
3. Combine sugar, tapioca and salt in a bowl. Place cherries in a large bowl and toss with sugar mixture until coated. Fill chilled pie shell with cherry mixture.
4. To make lattice top: roll reserved pastry to 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick. Using a ruler and a pizza wheel, cut sixteen ¾-inch (2-cm) strips. Lay 8 strips across the pie in 1 direction, leaving about a ¾-inch (2-cm) gap between strips. To weave a lattice crust, gently fold back every other strip starting with the first strip on the left. Lay one strip of dough across top end of pie, perpendicular to original strips. Replace the folded strips.
5. Starting with the second strip from the left, fold back alternating strips. Lay another strip of dough parallel to the first crosswise strip, leaving a ¾-inch (2-cm) space in between. Replace folded strips. Continue folding back alternating strips until lattice is woven.
6. Trim all pastry to about ½-inch (1-cm) from edge of pie plate. Moisten the bottom crust with water and lightly press strips to it to seal together. Fold bottom crust overhand over the lattice ends and pinch together, making either a fluted or plain crust edge.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350ºF (180ºC) and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour more or until juices are bubbling and thick. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 8
Shortcrust Pastry
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
¾ cup (175 mL) unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup (50 mL) shortening, cut in pieces
1/3 cup (75 mL) cold water
1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice
1. Sift together flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. In a separate bowl, combine water and vinegar or lemon juice. Add enough liquid to gather pastry into a ball and knead together for 1 minute. Divide dough into 2 equal portions.
3. Alternatively, use a food processor. Add flour, salt, butter and shortening into the processor. Pulse together. Add liquid but do not let pastry form a ball in the processor. Then remove, knead it together by hand.
4. Roll out as needed or wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
Makes enough pastry for one 9-inch (23-cm) or 10-inch (25-cm) two-crust pie
