Agent Cooper's Cherry Pie from Twin Peaks
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Pie crust
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2 1/4 cups plain flour
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3/4 cup cold butter plus an extra tablespoon (210 grams total)
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup Iced water (scant)
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1 lightly buttered pie plate
Filling:
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3 cups sour cherries, pitted and drained
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1 cup sugar
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2 tablespoons cornstarch
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1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
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finely grated zest from 1/2 lemon
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2 tablespoons milk for pastry glaze
Step 1 - Make shortcrust pastry ahead of time as the key to pastry is relaxing the dough. In a food processor combine all ingredients except for the iced water and whizz together briefly. Then add iced water until it starts to come together and then empty the contents of the processor onto a board and knead briefly. Separate into two rounds, one round using 2/3 of the dough and then another one using the remaining 1/3 of the dough. Cover in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
Step 2 - Take your pie plate. Roll out the larger round of pastry to fit the glass plate. Then roll out smaller one into an oval shape and cut into strips to make lattice pattern and place on a clean plate. Place both the glass pie plate and the lattice strip plate in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes-this is important to prevent pastry shrinkage (you could do the pastry ahead of time and refrigerate it).
Step 3 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Place foil on top of the pastry snugly but gently against the pastry (the foil helps prevent the pastry from puffing up too much). Weigh it down with ceramic weights or dried beans or rice and blind bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes.
Step 4 - Mix the filling ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated. Place on top of prebaked pastry and then decorate with lattice strips. Brush pastry with milk. Lay the pie dish on top of a baking tray (sometimes the cherries spill over a little) and bake for 35 minutes until golden. Serve a la mode with vanilla ice cream.
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