The Freshman Cook: American Pie!

Around here, no picnic or holiday celebration is complete without a pie! When you think about it, there are a lot of different types of pie to choose from. You can go traditional with mile high apple pie with a crust topping, you could pick a lemon meringue pie with just a bottom crust, or what about a refrigerator type pie, made with jello and cool whip, or even a Boston Cream Pie! 🙂 The list can go on for quite some time!
Well, no matter what type of pie you make, I am sure it will be devoured by the lucky recipients. So, here’s an American Pie, baked to please, for the 4th of July!

Blueberry and Cherry American Pie!

Cherries

4 cups washed and pitted Fresh Cherries

1-1 1/2 cups Sugar

4 tablespoon Corn Starch

1/8 tablespoon Almond Extract

Blueberries

2 cups washed Blueberries

1/2 cup Sugar

2 tablespoon Corn Starch

Pie Crust

1 1/3 cups Flour

1 tablespoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

6 tablespoons cold, unsalted Butter, cut into bits

Put all of your ingredients together, and then
toss into a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor available, you can use a fork. Begin by mixing everything together with the fork, incorporating the butter, and letting it become dough. If you are using the food processor, pulse until mix comes together. To test it, put some on your fingers and pinch. You want it to stick together. If it does not come together, add small amounts of water and then pulse until it does come together. Put your dough into a round ball, and then divide in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash ….
and pit your cherries.
Place your cherries in a pot over low heat. Cover the pot. Keep checking the pot for the cherry juice to release into the pot. It may take 5-10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and corn starch. Once the cherries have released their juice, take the pot off of the heat. Mix the sugar and corn starch mix into the cherries. Add your almond extract. Return the pot to the stove and cook on low until it thickens, stirring often. Once it thickens, remove pot from the heat and allow it to cool. Make the blueberry filling the same way as you made the cherry filling. The amount of ingredients are different, and you don’t add almond extract, but the technique is the same. Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Transfer that piece to your pie plate.
Trim around the dough with a paring knife. Make the dough even with the top edge of your pan. Roll your second ball of dough out between parchment paper.This is your top piece. Fill your pie pan with the cherry filling all around the edge.
Place blueberry topping in the center. Fill both toppings to the top of your pie pan.
Cut a star out of the top pie dough. Place the dough on top of the fillings and brush melted butter over the dough. Lightly sprinkle the dough with sugar.
Crimp the edges of your pie with a fork.
Bake your pie at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Remove your pie from the oven, and top with whipped cream,