Sweet Cherry Pie

Ingredients

• 8 servings pie dough ) for top and bottom 9 or pie (see pie crust recipe
• 5 cups cherries sweet pitted
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 0.5 teaspoon almond extract 
• 1 Tbsp juice of lemon 
• 6 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 2 teaspoons butter cut into small pieces
• 1  eggs 
• 8 servings coarse sugar for sprinkling

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• slotted spoon
• kitchen scissors
• pastry brush
• pie form

Directions

1. Toss cherries with sugar, almond extract, lemon juice, cornstarch:
2. Place the pitted cherries, sugar, almond extract, lemon juice and cornstarch in a large bowl. Toss until the cherries are well coated with the sugar and other ingredients.
3. Roll out bottom crust: On a lightly floured clean surface, roll out the bottom crust. Form it into a 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Using kitchen scissors, trim the edges so that they extend beyond the edge of the pie pan by 1 inch.
4. Place in the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust.
5. Roll out the top crust to about the same size as the bottom crust. If you want to make a lattice top (it's pretty and it's easy to do) follow these instructions for making a lattice pie crust.
6. Place filling in pie, dot with butter, top with top crust, chill: Use a slotted spoon to lift the cherries out of the bowl and put them in the pie plate. (Leave any excess liquid behind.) Dot with small dabs of butter. Cover with the top crust. Trim the edges. Crimp to seal the edges together.
7. Score the top crust with several cuts so that the steam can escape while the pie is cooking (unnecessary if you are making a lattice crust).
8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.
9. Brush with egg wash (optional): In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water or milk. Use a pastry brush to brush over the top crust.
10. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.
11. Bake: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
12. Place the pie in the middle rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any pie drippings.
13. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 350°F and cook for 45 to 55 minutes longer, or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is thick and bubbly.
14. Allow to cool completely before serving.