Rustic Fresh Cherry Pie

INGREDIENTS

Your favourite crust recipe or my Rustic Olive Oil Crust below (I have to warn you that it’s not easy to roll out like regular pie crust but the taste is incomparable! And healthier too – 2/3 less gluten).

2 cups flour (a mix of 1/3 all purpose, 1/3 amaranth, 1/3 buckwheat)
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup olive oil (kept in fridge until almost solid (8 hrs. or more)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup iced water

FILLING *
Mix together in the following order:
4 cups fresh sweet pitted cherries (whole)
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup honey (or sugar)
4 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. lemon juice

PROCEDURE

1. Prepare crust by cutting in the cold fats into the flour mix until a breadcrumb texture forms.
2. Add cold water gradually while mixing with a fork until dough comes together into a ball. Chill in fridge around 20 minutes but not more as it might harden.
3. Roll out half the dough to fit the pie pan.
4. Pour the cherry filling into the crust and even out.
5. Roll out the other half and place over the top. Crimp the edges until sealed. Or you can cut strips for a lattice top.
6. Bake in a preheated 425deg F (190deg C) oven for about 20 minutes. Then reduce to 350deg F (170deg C) and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.
7. Cool and serve warm or cold.

*Tip: You can toss all the filling ingredients in a plastic bag if you want.


At the Monza cherry festival. Cherries from all over Italy. I chose the ones from the Veneto area. Sweet and juicy.