Homemade Cherry Pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into 1/4 inch pieces and par frozen)
4 tablespoons shortening (I use lard, par frozen)
2 tablespoons vodka (ice cold)
2 tablespoons water (ice cold)

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, place 3/4 cup flour, sugar and salt. Pulse just to combine dry ingredients. Sprinkle butter and shortening pieces over the dry ingredients and pulse to form a very coarse cornmeal-like mixture. Scrape bowl and sprinkle remaining 1/2 flour over the top. Pulse until mixture is cohesive and in even crumbles. Transfer to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with vodka and water. Mix to combine. The dough will still be crumbly.

Pour onto parchment or plastic wrap. Using the wrap, pull up the sides to create a cohesive dough. Form disk and pat into a flat round. Chill for an hour. Roll out to fit a 9- or 10-inch pie pan. If the dough becomes too soft, place back in refrigerator to chill. Fill with your desired pie filling and bake according to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

 6 cups fresh (or frozen) pitted tart cherries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pie crust + 1 for topping 

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together the cherries, sugar, and corn starch. Add the vanilla and almond extract.

Pour the filling into your prepared pie shell. Dot the top of the pie with two tablespoons of cold butter cut in small pieces. You do this by hand, breaking off little pieces.

Finish the pie with your top crust. I love to do a lattice crust on a cherry pie; it just seems to go together so perfectly.

Bake in a 400 F. preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then turn to 375 F. and bake for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Let cool before serving. Enjoy!