Sweet Cherry Slab Pie Recipes

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.

SWEET CHERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Follow directions to make a doubled batch of basic pie dough.
• Preheat oven to 375° F. Line the bottom of a 15×10 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the plums and 1 cup halved cherries in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Strain puree through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids. Stir remaining halved cherries, sugar, salt, lemon juice, bourbon, tapioca, and cinnamon into puree; let stand for 15 minutes.
• On a floured surface, roll out one batch of dough into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle.
• Transfer to a 15-by-10-by-1-inch rimmed baking sheet, allowing the dough to hang over sides of pan). Transfer the cherry mixture to the dough-lined baking sheet; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough into a 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Lay over cherry filling. Fold overhang under, tucking it into pan, and crimp edges. With a paring knife, cut slits on top to vent. Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture.
• 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 one hour.
• While the slab pie is cooling, make lemon glaze. Combine lemon juice (or milk) and confectioners' sugar until you achieve a thick, opaque icing. Drizzle over slab pie. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.