Cherry Pie

Directions

1. 1
   The night before, start the filling. In a bowl, place the pitted cherries, sugar, and the vanilla bean. Stir together and let macerate in the refrigerator overnight.
2. 2
   The next day, sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt and sugar. Mix together.
3. 3
   Add the butter into the flour and start pinching the mixture together with your fingertips, and then rubbing them together to get the butter mixed in. Stop when the mixture has the consistency of sand or breadcrumbs.
4. 4
   Mix in the water quickly just until the dough comes together.
5. 5
   Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
6. 6
   Divide the dough into 2 parts, 1 a bit larger than the other. Roll out the larger part to be a little bigger than your pie pan. Grease and flour the pie pan and fill with the rolled out dough.
7. 7
   Place the pie pan in the freezer for 30 minutes. Form the other section of dough into a rough rectangle, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze it also.
8. 8
   Preheat to oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
9. 9
   Remove the second section of dough and roll it out into a rectangle of 2 millimeter thickness. Cut out 16 to 18 strips.
10. 10
    Remove the cherries from the refrigerator, add the cornstarch, and stir well.
11. 11
    Remove the pie pan from the freezer and pour the filling on top of the crust. Cover with half the dough strips previously cut out. Then, turn the pan 90 degrees and place the other half of the dough strips so they criss cross. Cut off any excess on the edges.
12. 12
    Baste the top of the pie with beaten egg.
13. 13
    Bake the pie 15 minutes on the bottom shelf.
14. 14
    Lower the heat to 200 degrees Celsius and bake another 35 to 40 minutes until the dough is golden and the filling is bubbling.
15. 15
    Remove from the oven and let cool before eating. Do not unmold the pie from its pan.