Recipe: Favorite Cherry Pie

My Favorite Cherry Pie
alt.cooking-chien/Robb Dabbs

3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cans (16oz each) pitted tart red cherries, packed in water, drained and 1/2 cup liquid reserved
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 recipe 2-crust pastry

Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in reserved 1/2 cup cherry liquid. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is thick and clear. Remove from heat; stir in softed butter until melted and well blended; stir in extract, spices, and food coloring. Fold in cherries, let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400F. Fill bottom pastry with cherry filling. Cover filling with top pastry and seal edges. (A lattice top may also be used.)

Bake in lower third of oven until crust is golden and filling bubbles, 40 to 50 minutes. If crust browns too quickly, cover edge with foil strips during last 20 minutes of baking. Cool on wire rack.