What could be better than a fresh cherry pie, with fruit harvested from a local Michigan or Wisconsin orchard? Bernadine Gallagher, matriarch of Gallagher Farms in Leelanau County, shares her family favorite – a tart cherry pie that is both quick and easy, and a huge hit at holiday dinners.
Pie Crust
Makes two 10-inch pie crusts:
2 2/3 cups All-Purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
4-5 tablespoons cold water
TIP: Refrigerating the balls of dough before rolling them out makes the dough much easier to flatten.
Pie Filling
Mix the following:
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Add 4 cups pitted fresh (not canned) tart cherries*
*You can use a variety of sweet and tart cherries. If you use all sweet cherries, decrease sugar by 1/3. You do not need to pre-cook cherry filling or add water if you use fresh cherries.
TIP: Using a cherry pitter is very helpful!
Directions:
• Measure flour and salt; add oil and mix until particles are size of peas.
• Sprinkle with water.
• Mix until flour is moistened and dough clears side of bowl.
• Press flour into two balls, cover with cling wrap and roll out flat.
• Place one crust in 9-inch pie dish, add pie filling and cover with second crust.
• Pinch the edges to join crusts and add a slit in the cover crust to vent.
• Bake at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet or tinfoil until brown (about 45-50 minutes). Cover the top of the pie with tinfoil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning.
• Enjoy!
To view the article in the online 2020 Fall Partners Magazine, click here.
