Thank you to my good friend Robbie Davis for this recipe. Not only is she a good cook but she raised a great cook in her daughter, Patti.
Filling
2 cups sugar or sugar substitute
⅓ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
3 (14.25-ounce) cans red tart pitted cherries
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon red food coloring
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
½ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup butter
To make the filling: Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Stir in the cherries, mixing well, and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the almond extract, red food coloring, butter, and lemon juice. Set aside while preparing the pastry.
To prepare the pastry: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix the flour and salt together, add the shortening and cut into the flour mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until it is a crumbly mix. Stir in the milk to make a dough. Divide in two, one segment larger than the other. Roll the larger pastry on a lightly floured board to fit a 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking dish.
Fit the larger pastry in the pan to come 2 inches up the sides. Pour the cherry pie filling over the pastry. Roll the remaining pastry to cover the top. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot with butter. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pie is bubbly and golden brown. Serve warm.
Makes 12 servings.