Balsamic Cherry Pie

Pie Dough

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup of mild evoo like arbequina

6 tbsp of sugar

lemon zest

1 tsp salt

6 tbsp of ice water

Filling

4 cups cherries

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

3 tablespoons of black cherry balsamic vinegar

Finish

1 egg

1 tsp water

1 tsp sugar  

Add the flour, evoo, sugar, zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine.

Add the evoo and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal.

Add in the ice water, one teaspoon at a time (you may not need all the water), pulsing, until large clumps begin to form.

Pour the mixture out onto a clean surface and divide into two equal parts. Form each into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Wrap each disc individually in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.

For the filling: Rinse and pit the cherries. Mix with the cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, and the sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until the cherries begin to break down and the mixture begins to simmer and thicken slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.

Heat your oven to 375°F. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and set a baking sheet on it.

Unroll one of the pie doughs and transfer it to a 9-inch standard pie pan. Press the dough into the bottom and along the sides of the pie plate, being careful not to puncture the dough.

Whisk the egg and water together with a fork in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush the inside of the pie crust with a thin layer of the egg wash (save the remaining for brushing the top crust). Pour the cooled filling into the crust.

Unroll the second pie dough and lightly flour the surface. Cut into 1-inch wide strips. Transfer the strips to the top of the pie, creating a crisscross pattern. NOTE: because of the crumbly nature of the dough, it’s difficult to make a true lattice pattern. Embrace the texture of this dough and make whatever pattern you like! Just make sure to leave enough air holes for the steam to escape.

Brush the lattice crust and edges of the pie dough with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the sugar.

Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling, 40 minutes. If the edges of the pie crust are browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Cool completely before slicing, approximately 4 hours. Add some vanilla ice cream and enjoy!