Summertime Cherry Pie
My boyfriend will eat anything if it is in pie form, but his favorite is Cherry and this time of the year they are in season and plentiful! I take a few "shortcuts" to save you time without losing any delicious flavor. This pie will not disappoint.
Ingredients for pie filling:
4 Cups of pitted cherries
2 1/2 cups of white sugar
20 teaspoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of butter
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla
Ingredients for pie crust:
Shortcut*** 2 Pillsbury Pie Crusts (two rolled pie crusts per box - found near the butter in most grocery stores)
Directions:
Take one of your pre-made pie crusts out of the refrigerator. Unroll the crust and line a 9-inch pie tin with the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking tray in the oven to preheat. This is used to help the pie cook evenly and to catch any delicious cheery ooze that tries to escape.
Now it is time to make the best part... the filling. Place the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium-sized non-aluminum saucepan. Before adding the pan to any heat allow the mixture to stand for about 10-12 minutes. This will give the sugar enough time to draw out the cherries' juices.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Make sure to constantly stir the mixture. Burned cherries are no good. I find that it takes about 30 minutes to get this mixture nice and ready. Lower the heat; simmer for 1 minute, or until the juices thicken and become translucent. Remove pan from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Allow the filling to cool until it is about lukewarm. Pour the filling into the pie shell.
Take the second pre-made pie crust and cover your pie. You can make any design you like. If you do a solid top make sure to cut small vents in the crust to allow steam to escape while cooking.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven on the baking tray for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for several hours before slicing. Ha... lets be real I can last about one hour tops and that's only because I value my tastebuds and don't want to burn them off! Enjoy!