First Place Cherry Pie
by Judi Harris
Buttermilk Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Crisco, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk - chilled (depending on where you live. I live in Southwest Montana so it's very dry here. The original recipe called for 6 tablespoons buttermilk).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and vegetable shortening. Cut them in using a pastry blender or two forks. Blend it until the mixture resembles course meal the size of peas.
Add the buttermilk and mix it until the mixture is just moistened. You don't want it wet.
Press the dough together and divide it in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Roll out one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface, in a circle 3 times larger than the pie pan you plan on using. Fit the round dough into the pie pan and either flute the edges by turning the excess underneath around the edges of the rim, or leave as is for a double crust pie.
For a top crust, roll out the second half the same size and shape and place it over the filling. Seal the edges, trim and flute the dough.
Filling
4 cups pitted cherries
3 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white
Thoroughly mix all ingredients and set aside while making crusts.
Put the first pie crust in the bottom of the pie pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom crust with egg white. This will set up the crust to bake and brown properly. Fill crust with cherry mixture. Sprinkle top of cherry mixture with 1 tablespoon flour, covering the entire area. Dot with pats of butter.
For a top crust, roll out the second half the same size and shape and place it over the filling. Seal the edges, trim and flute the dough.
Take a sharp knife and poke about 4 small slits into the top of the crust to let steam out. With a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg white, then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for a remaining 30-35 minutes. Pie is finished when it’s golden brown and some filling has bubbled out.
by Judi Harris
Buttermilk Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Crisco, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk - chilled (depending on where you live. I live in Southwest Montana so it's very dry here. The original recipe called for 6 tablespoons buttermilk).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and vegetable shortening. Cut them in using a pastry blender or two forks. Blend it until the mixture resembles course meal the size of peas.
Add the buttermilk and mix it until the mixture is just moistened. You don't want it wet.
Press the dough together and divide it in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Roll out one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface, in a circle 3 times larger than the pie pan you plan on using. Fit the round dough into the pie pan and either flute the edges by turning the excess underneath around the edges of the rim, or leave as is for a double crust pie.
For a top crust, roll out the second half the same size and shape and place it over the filling. Seal the edges, trim and flute the dough.
Filling
4 cups pitted cherries
3 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white
Thoroughly mix all ingredients and set aside while making crusts.
Put the first pie crust in the bottom of the pie pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom crust with egg white. This will set up the crust to bake and brown properly. Fill crust with cherry mixture. Sprinkle top of cherry mixture with 1 tablespoon flour, covering the entire area. Dot with pats of butter.
For a top crust, roll out the second half the same size and shape and place it over the filling. Seal the edges, trim and flute the dough.
Take a sharp knife and poke about 4 small slits into the top of the crust to let steam out. With a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg white, then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for a remaining 30-35 minutes. Pie is finished when it’s golden brown and some filling has bubbled out.
