Birthday pie

2 basic pie crusts

1 cup (8 oz, 250 g sugar)

3 Tbls cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

24 oz (750 g, 4 cups) pitted sour cherries plus 3 oz (1/3 cup cherry liquid

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbls cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Directions

Fold rolled out dough round in half and place in 9” pie pan. Unfold and press firmly into pan without stretching. Trim, leaving ¾” overhang. Refrigerate.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Place cherries in a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Toss to distribute evenly. Add vanilla and cherry liquid and mix well. Transfer the cherry mixture to the dough lined pan and dot with the butter.

Fold second dough round in half and place on pie. Unfold over pie, Trim edges to 1”. Fold top crust over and around bottom crust and crimp with fork.

Place pie in refrigerator until firm, 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven (center rack) to 425°.

Foil crust edge and bake pie for 15 minutes, reduce temp to 350° and bake 40-50 minutes longer. Remove foil from crust after 25 minutes. OR, foil only if crust starts to get too brown.

Cool completely on wire rack.