Two 12-inch rolled out rounds of pie dough
4 cups of frozen sour cherries, thawed and drained
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 drops almond extract
several drops lemon juice
Press one of the pie dough rounds in the bottom and up the sides
of
a 9 inch pie dish. Place the drained cherries in a large bowl
and toss
with the flour, sugar, almond extract and lemon juice. Place
the
cherry mixture into the pie shell. Cut the remaining pie crust
round
into ten 1/2 inch wide strips, using a pastry wheel or an ordinary
pizza cutter. Place 5 of those strips evenly spaced, side
by side
across the pie. Then fold every other strip halfway back.
Now place
another strip perpendicular to the 5 strips and in the middle of
the
pie. Fold the strips that you folded halfway back over the
new cross
strip. Fold the strips under the cross strip halfway back
over it.
Place a second strip crosswise over the pie and then return the
fold
strips over it like before. Add three more cross strips, repeating
the
procedure. You will create an attractive weave as the strips
go over
and under each other. Now do the same for the other half of
the pie. Cut off any strips hanging over the edge of the plate, fold
over the edge of the bottom crust to enclose the strips and crimp.
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees
and continue baking for 40 minutes or until the pie is golden.
To make cinnamon twists:
Twist leftover strips to form a spiral and place on a cooking sheet
and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake in a 425 degree
oven
for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.