Baking a cherry pie is easy; pitting the cherries is a chore. An inexpensive cherry pitter, which works on the same principle as a one-hole paper punch and can be found at many hardware and cookware shops, makes relatively quick work of the task. Sweet cherries result in a grand pie, as do sour cherries on the rare occasion that you can find them. (If you use sour cherries, increase the sugar to 1¼ cups.) Farmers’ markets are a good place to find locally grown cherries.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Basic All-American Pie Dough for a 9-inch two-crust pie (page 20)
⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
6 cups pitted sweet cherries, about 2 pounds
6 to 8 drops almond extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out half the dough for the bottom crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust and set it aside on a sheet of waxed paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until evenly mixed. Add the cherries and almond extract and toss to coat the fruit evenly with the sugar mixture. Pile the fruit in the dough-lined pan (if any dry sugar mixture remains in the bowl, just sprinkle it over the fruit), then scatter the butter over the filling. Cover with the top crust, then trim and flute the edges (see page 22). With the point of a sharp knife, cut several vents in the top for steam to escape.
Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is well browned. A sharp knife inserted into the filling through one of the vents should pierce the cherries easily.
Serve warm or at room temperature.