Filling Ingredients:

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon bourbon

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 cups pitted cherries -(I use frozen sweet cherries) ** If using all sour cherries, you may want to add another 1/2 cup sugar

unsalted butter

Crust Ingredients (Makes 2, top and bottom):

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (150 grams)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

20 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

4 to 8 tablespoons ice water, as needed

1 egg, plus tablespoon milk

raw sugar

Directions:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Thaw cherries.
• In a medium sauce pan, add cherries. Cover. After the cherries lose considerable juice, remove from heat. 
• Combine cornstarch and sugar
• Pour mixture into the hot cherries, add almond extract and bourbon.
• Return to heat and cook over low heat until thickened. (If the filling is too thick, add water. Too thin, add cornstarch).
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Preheat over to 375 degrees.
• Remove dough from refrigerator.  Cut dough in half. Roll out half of dough on floured surface. Add dough to glass pie plate. make sure dough is crimped over edges.
• Add cherry mixture to pie. Add little cubes of butter to top of filling.
• Roll out other half of dough. Cut into long strips if you are making a lattice.
• Weave strips (lattice) or place on top of pie and add 3 slits in the center.
• Brush with egg wash
• Dust crust with raw sugar and sprinkle almond slices on top if you desire
• Bake for 50-70 minutes or util golden brown
• Cool completely before serving for at least 2-3 hours.

A Jackie O’ Recipe