Weekend Cooking: Sour Cherry Pie

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Happy July 4 to all my American friends. Because it's the holiday and because sour cherries appeared at my local farmers market this week, I thought I'd share my recipe for a wonderful summer treat: sour cherry pie.

This recipe has been in my files for years, and I no longer remember its origins. The pie has just the right balance of sweet and tart for our tastes, and I think the almond extract is a brilliant addition.

Now where's that vanilla ice cream?

Sour Cherry Pie (from the files of Beth Fish Reads)
1 nine-inch pie

• 1 double pie crust
• 5 cups pitted sour cherries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 splash of almond extract

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line the bottom of the pie pan with one crust. Note: You can blind bake the bottom crust if you're worried about sogginess, but I usually skip this step.

In a large bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and almond extract. Gently mix until the cherries are coated and the sugar and cornstarch look like they're beginning to dissolve. Put the cherries (and juices) into the crust-lined pie pan.

Cover the top of the pie with the second crust, crimping the edges to seal. Cut a few slits in the top crust to let the steam out. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbling.

Let cool completely on a rack before cutting.