Cherry Pie

Notes from MW: I buy Oregon brand "Red Tart Pie Cherries in Water" (not the bing cherries) to do this recipe. It takes two cans to make a pie. Also, since this recipe is made for fresh or frozen cherries, you don't want to cook the liquid out of the cherries like it says. I put one can with all of it's liquid into the pot and then reserve the liquid from the other can and add part of it to the pot if needed. So here's how I would tell if I needed it: The mixture should be pretty soft, think of turkey gravy with cherries in it. It with thicken some more when you bake it.

4 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries (or canned)
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 tablespoon almond extract (optional)
Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, to dot
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle

Place cherries in medium saucepan and place over heat. Cover. After the cherries lose considerable juice, which may take a few minutes, remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract, if desired, and mix. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water, too thin, add a little more cornstarch.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Use your favorite pie dough recipe. Prepare your crust. Divide in half. Roll out each piece large enough to fit into an 8 to 9-inch pan. Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot with butter. Moisten edge of bottom crust. Place top crust on and flute the edge of the pie. Make a slit in the middle of the crust for steam to escape. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.