Champion Cherry Pie
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cherry juice drained from can
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups drained tart cherries
1 tablespoon butter
Mix sugar, flour and salt in saucepan. Add juice, coloring and extract. Cook slowly; blend well. Carefully stir in cherries; let stand while making pastry.
Pastry:
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
Sift dry ingredients together. Use pastry blender to cut in shortening until resembles coarse corn meal. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing mixture lightly after each. Add only enough milk to make mixture barely cling together when patted lightly. Divide dough into 2 parts. Quickly and lightly roll 1 part about 1 1/2 inch larger than pie pan. Place in pan/ trim edge, leaving 1/2 inch larger than pie pan. Place in pan; trim edge, leaving 1/2 inch hanging over pan. Brush crust with butter. Roll out other part to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 1/2 inch strips. Pour cherry filling into pastry-lined pan; dot with tablespoon of butter. Weave pastry strips over top, turning edge of bottom crust over ends. Shape edge as desired. Bake 5 minutes on top rack of 450° oven. Move to bottom rack, lower heat to 375°; bake 30-35 minutes or until brown.
