Cherry Slab Pie Food

CHERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Cube the cold butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. You can also use your clean fingers to work the butter into pea-sized pieces into the flour.
• Make the ice water in a bowl and the add ice water a teaspoon at a time to the dough base until the dough just comes together. You'll probably need about 8 to 10 tablespoons of ice water for this much pie crust. Try not to add too much water.
• When you can pull the dough together into a ball, knead it a few times and then divide it into a 2/3 piece and 1/3 piece. The 2/3 piece will be the base of the pie and the 1/3 piece will be the lid. Wrap the pieces separately in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pit the cherries using a cherry pitter or a chopstick to push the pit out of the fruit. Add the pitted whole cherries to a bowl with the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Let sit for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the pie crust from the fridge and roll out the larger piece of pie crust to fit your pan. I use a 10x15inch jelly roll pan, and it fits perfectly. You can roll the pie crust thinner if you have a slightly larger sheet pan, but if you do that then you might need to up the filling on the pie to 7 or 8 cups of fruit.
• Press the pie crust into your pan and pour fruit filling into the crust. There should be gaps in the fruit. It shouldn't cover the entire crust as the fruit will expand as it bakes.
• Roll out the smaller piece of crust and cut out some circles to show off the cherries. Place the pie crust over the filling, and crimp the edges to attach it to the bottom crust.
• Brush the pie with egg wash, and dust liberally with coarse sugar.
• Bake the pie for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating once halfway through. Then allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.Store leftover pie in the fridge for a few days.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY LATTICE SLAB PIE

Steps:

• For the filling: Put the cherries, granulated sugar, chocolate, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts and salt in a large bowl. Toss until the cornstarch dissolves. Let stand at room temperature until juicy, about 30 minutes. (If using frozen cherries, leave them frozen and toss them with the above ingredients).
• Adjust an oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch baking sheet with butter.
• For the crust: To form the bottom crust, place 1 pie crust between two large pieces of floured parchment paper and roll into a 14-inch round. Lay the round over half of the prepared baking sheet; there will be overhang on the edges. Repeat the rolling process with a second pie crust. Lay it over the remaining exposed side of the baking sheet so that the two crusts overlap in the center of the pan; there will be overhang on the edges. Press together the overlapping crusts to make a tight seal. Transfer the filling to the crust and spread in an even layer. Dot the top with the butter.
• For the lattice crust: Repeat rolling the remaining 2 pie crusts into two 14-inch rounds. With a chef's knife or a pizza cutter, cut each crust into 1-inch-wide strips. Lay half the strips diagonally across the entire pie, about 1-inch apart. Weave the remaining strips diagonally across the first strips to make a lattice pattern. Trim the the lattice ends leaving an overhang, Press together the ends and the bottom edge of the crust to seal, then fold and crimp the edge as desired.
• Brush the lattice and edge of the crust with the cream and sprinkle generously with some granulated sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 45 to 55 minutes. (If the crust browns too quickly during baking, cover the pie loosely with foil.) Let cool.
• For the topping: Meanwhile, whip the cream, sour cream and brown sugar in a large bowl to medium peaks. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with dollops of the whipped topping.

SOUR CHERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If using frozen cherries, defrost and drain. In a large bowl, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a 15-by-10-by-1-inch rimmed baking sheet, (pastry will hang over sides of pan). Pour cherry mixture into lined baking sheet; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough into a 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Drape over filling. Bring bottom pastry up and over top pastry. Pinch edges to seal. Using a fork, prick top crust all over. Brush with heavy cream.
• Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until desired glaze consistency is achieved. Use a spoon to drizzle over top. Serve warm or room temperature.

CHERRY STREUSEL SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Unroll pie crusts; place one on top of the other on work surface. Fold sides in to make straight edges; roll crust into 14 x 12-inch rectangle. Fit dough into quarter sheet pan (rimmed 13x9-inch); trim and crimp edges. Refrigerate.
• In food processor, place Streusel ingredients. Cover and process until mixture is sandy and clumps up when pinched. Set aside. In large bowl, mix Filling ingredients.
• Spread filling evenly over refrigerated pie crust. Sprinkle generously with streusel; bake about 1 hour or until juices are bubbling. Cool on cooling rack at least 30 minutes before serving.

CHERRY VANILLA SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, butter, lard and salt in a food processor until crumbly. Whisk 1 egg with 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice; add enough ice water to make 2/3 cup (150 mL). Add to the flour mixture and pulse until the dough comes together. Form into an oblong disk; chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a well-floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. Trim dough into a 13 x 18-inch (32.5 cm x 45 cm) rectangle. Carefully transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Stir sugar with cornstarch and lemon zest until combined. Sprinkle half of the mixture evenly down the length of one side of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border. Arrange cherries evenly over sugar mixture. Whisk 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice with vanilla; drizzle evenly over the cherries. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture evenly over top.
• Fold dough over to cover the filling. Fold an additional 1/2-inch (1 cm) of dough from bottom layer over top layer along the edges; crimp with a fork to seal. Whisk remaining egg with a little water; brush all over pastry. Slash 4 vent holes in top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on baking sheet.
• Optional Glaze: Blend icing sugar with milk until smooth. Drizzle evenly over the cooled pie. Makes 12 servings.
• Tip: Fold dough into thirds or roll around a rolling pin to transfer it, after trimming, to the baking sheet.

CHERRY PLUM SLAB PIE WITH WALNUT STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine cherries, plums, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; toss to coat., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16x12-in. rectangle; transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Trim even with rim of dish. Add filling. For topping, in a small bowl, mix oats, walnuts, flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling., Bake until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown, 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

SOUR CHERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F If using frozen cherries, defrost and drain. In a large bowl, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough into a 18x12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a 15x10x1-inch rimmed baking sheet. (pastry will hang over sides of pan). Pour cherry mixture into lined baking sheet; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough into a 16x11 rectangle. Drape over filling. Bring bottom pastry up and over top pastry. Pinch edges to seal. Using fork, prick top crust all over. Brush with heavy cream.
• Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40-45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners sugar and milk until desired glaze consistency is achieved. Use a spoon to drizzle over top. Serve warm or room temperature.

CHERRY AND APPLE SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Stack pie crusts on top of each other and roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle.
• Fit crust into a 13x9 pan, pressing dough up sides of the pan.
• Pour 1 can pie filling on one half of crust; repeat with remaining can to completely cover crust; set aside.
• Mix sugar and flour in medium bowl, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Sprinkle evenly over pie.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes until crust and crumb are lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and place on wire rack.
• Blend together brown sugar, corn syrup and melted butter and drizzle over hot pie.
• Cool 45 minutes before serving.
• Serve by cutting pie in half lengthwise.
• Makes 4 equal crosswise cuts to create 8 rectangles.
• Slice each rectangle diagonally.
• Serve with ice cream, if desired.
• You can use any combination of pie filling flavors.