Mom’s Cherry Pie
(courtesy of Kami Soule. Serves 8)
2 9-inch pie crusts (Pillsburys are fine)
3 14.5-ounce cans water-packed pie cherries
3 tablespoons tapioca
¾ cup of sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
1 egg (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Refrigerate pie crust until ready to use. Drain cherries, reserving ½ cup juice.
In large mixing bowl, stir tapioca into reserved cherry juice. Let rest for 15 minutes, stirring twice. Blend in sugar, almond extract, and salt. Add cherries and stir to coat.
If making your own crust, grease pie pan with nonstick baking spray or butter. Line pie pan with one crust, gently pressing dough into pan. Fill with cherry mixture. If desired, top cherries with small slices of butter. Top with second pie crust and trim excess crust. Crimp edges of piecrust together to seal. Cut 4 to 6 small slits in top piecrust in decorative design for venting. To add shine and light browning, beat egg with spoon and brush onto crust. Cover pie edges with pie crust shield or aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake 35 minutes. If filling isn’t bubbling, bake 5 minutes more.
