Killer Ass Cherry/Raspberry Pie

I have been dedicating the last couple of days to indolence. I came home on Tuesday rather than on Monday because my knees were killing me. Alright, I will admit that having my beautiful friend April spending the weekend with me while I was working was an added attraction, but, on Monday she mostly helped to keep the ice bags on my knees fresh. She promised to come out for another extended visit soon, but refused to define soon. That's my girl. She only allows me to love her on her terms.

Anyway, since the Suns are playing in L.A. tonight and I am having several friends over. The God of All Ropers with his wife and daughter, The Pool Girls, my next door neighbor the "Lonely Goatherd," my sister, her husband and my neice and nephew are all coming over and bringing a dish. We will settle in and cheer the Suns and curse Kobe.

I told them I would make pies.

I am using the basic pie crust recipe from Shaker Lemon Pie here. I made the crust batch and put it into discs in the refrigerator. I rolled out enough to handle two 9" pie plates. This recipe doubles perfectly, I'm giving the proportions for one pie at a time.

Ingredients for Pie filling
10 ounce package of frozen red raspberries, thawed
2 cups pitted canned pie cherries in juice
1 1/4 cup baker's sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

When you have your bottom crust(s) in the pie pans trimmed to about a half inch overhang cover with plastic put it back in the refrigerator.

Drain the thawed raspberries, reserve the liquid in a measuring cup. Drain the cherries and add enough of the cherry juice to the raspberry juice to make one full cup.

In a sauce pan mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cherries and the cup of juice. Over a medium heat bring to a simmer and hold for 5 to six minutes. The mixture should be somewhat thick and clear. It will burn like hell itstelf if you get any on you so be carefull. You can add up to another tablespoon of cornstarch a teaspoon at a time (3 teaspoons=1 tablespoon) to thicken the mixture more according to your own preferences. If you add cornstarch be sure and simmer the mixture at least two minutes to keep that nasty library paste aftertaste from happening.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until it is melted and incorporated. Then gently fold in the raspberries. Put the filling into the bottom crusts and roll out the top. I used a lattice top for today, that's because I'm a show off at heart but also because this pie bubbles up murderously and a lattice crust will just allow that to happen without creating a Mt. Saint Helen's effect in the middle of your pie crust or blowing out one of your vents.

When you have your pie topped cover it loosely with plastic and refrigerate for two hours. Twenty minutes before you take the pie out of the fridge preheat your oven to 400° with a foil topped baking stone on the bottom rack.

Put the pie on the baking stone on the bottom rack and cook at 400° for ten minutes then move the pie and the stone to the middle rack, reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is a beautiful golden brown. If the edge of your pie browns too quickly shield it with foil. Cool on a rack completely before cutting and serving.

Tonight we are serving this with Breyer's Vanilla Ice Cream and espresso.

Go Suns!

3B's