Best-of-show Cherry Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) double crust pie crusts
• 2 (20 ounce) cans cherry pie filling (or topping)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon baker's sugar crystals

Recipe

• 1 prepare pie crust according to recipe; roll out dough for bottom crust, line pie pan.
• 2 preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• 3 pour pie filling into bottom crust.
• 4 roll out top crust, use a butter knife (non-serrated side) to cut 1-inch strips for the lattice.
• 5 start at the center, and lay strips out in an over-n-under basket-weave fashion--leaving about 1/4-inch between strips (so the cherries peek through); crimp edges with fork tines to seal.
• 6 beat egg until very frothy, lightly brush over crust and strips--be sure not to get it on the filling (it doesn't look very nice); immediately sprinkle with sugar.
• 7 bake in 425 oven for 15 minutes, then turn down to 325 and continue baking for another 30 minutes -- crust should be golden brown.
• 8 suggestions: use seasonal cookie cutters to create the top crust.