What's Pressoir Cooking?

July 14, 2020

by Daniel Johnnes

Cherry Pie - The King of Pies

Cherry pie is one of three of my favorite things, two of which are food. They are (in no particular order) cherry pie, English shell peas and peonies. All three have a very short period in which they are ripe and available. You have to act fast and grab them when they are at peak. Perhaps it is their fleeting beauty that increases my love of them.

I pride myself for making a great cherry pie. To say cherry pie is too simple, this is a sour cherry pie. The type of cherry makes all the difference. Like a great wine, the balance between sugar, acidity and texture is paramount. It has to be sweet but not too sweet. It is the underlying acidity that balances the sweetness. Like in a great German Riesling. With many grams of residual sugar, it is the bracing acidity that pulls it all into harmony.

So it is with my cherry pie. The tart acidity in the sour cherries (griottes in French) provides the backbone and energy required to keep it from being heavy and cloying.

Making it is really simple. It just takes technique. This particular one was challenging as I made it in a beach cottage rental. A kitchen and oven I wasn't familiar with and almost no equipment. No mixer, no traditional pie plate, no rolling pin.

Here's the recipe:

The pie crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks or 16 tablespoons)

Ice water

The filling

3 pints sour cherries (I only had two which explains it's slightly flat appearance)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons tapioca

That's all. No almond extract like many people do. Why dilute perfection? Sometimes I add a little zest of orange.

Make the pie crust at least 6 hours prior to rolling. 

Roll the bottom out to line a pie plate. I used a Bordeaux shaped bottle as I had no rolling pin. I had a bottle of Burlotto Pelaverga (delicious as well)

Fill the bottom with the cherry mixture and close with the top pie dough. 

Cut vents in the crust and brush with egg wash

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes or until bubbling and brown.

Cool and then put in fridge to serve chilled.

The real quality test comes when I serve the first slice to Sally, my wife. She is THE champion pie maker in the family. If I get a satisfied sigh, I know I nailed it. This one got a sigh with one or two justified critical comments. Tough conditions but overall a resounding success nonetheless.

This is the Musigny or maybe the Amoureuses of pies.

Bon appétit!