Somali Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut into pieces

5 to 7 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

4 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted (include juice produced during pitting), or 4 cups frozen unsweetened sour cherries, unthawed

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch

Assembly:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Make dough: Combine flour and salt in processor and blend. Add butter and shortening and process, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 5 tablespoons ice water and toss or pulse just until combined. If necessary, gently mix in additional ice water, a little at a time, until mixture forms moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half and flatten each piece into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

Make filling: Preheat oven to 400�F. Line heavy baking sheet with foil and set on middle rack of oven. In large bowl, combine cherries, sugar, and tapioca or cornstarch; mix well and let stand while rolling out crust. On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll out 1 piece dough into 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fit dough into 9-inch (1-quart) pie pan, leaving 3/4-inch overhang. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll out second piece dough into 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).With sharp knife or fluted pastry wheel, cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Remove pie pan with bottom crust from refrigerator and pour in filling. Top with pieces of butter. Brush rim of bottom crust lightly with water.

Make lattice top: Lay 5 pastry strips vertically across pie, spaced evenly. Fold strips 2 and 4 back halfway, and insert new strip across center of pie, perpendicular to other strips. Drop folded strips back over inserted strip. Fold back strips 1, 3, and 5 and add another cross strip, leaving room between strips for filling to show through. Lay folded strips flat again. Continue from center out to edge of pie, weaving lattice top. Repeat process on other half, again working from center out. Gently press ends of strips to edge of bottom crust to adhere. Trim lattice edges flush with rim of pie plate.

Roll overhanging dough from bottom crust up over edge of lattice top. Press to adhere and crimp decoratively. Brush lattice with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Place pie on baking sheet in oven. Bake 20 minutes. Cover crust edges with foil collar to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake until filling bubbles and crust is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool at least 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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