Sweet Cherry Pie

Note:  This recipe calls for using sweet cherries, not tart sour ones.

Ingredients:

4 cups (about 2 1/2 pounds) pitted fresh cherries

4 tablespoons cornstarch

2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar (adjust this according to the sweetness of your cherries)

1/8 teaspoon salt

juice of half a lemon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small bits

1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water

coarse sugar, for decoration

2 unbaked pie shells

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cherries, cornstarch, sugar, salt, lemon and vanilla.

Spoon filling into pie crust, discarding the majority of the liquid that has pooled in the bowl. Dot the filling with the bits of cold butter. Drape second pie crust over the filling, trying to leave a 1" overhang. Fold the overhang under the bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it, and crimp the edge decoratively. Brush the egg wash over the pie crust, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Cut slits in the crust with a sharp knife, forming steam vents, and bake the pie at 400 degrees in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake the pie for 25-30 minutes more, or until the crust is golden. Let the pie cool on a wire rack.