Rainer cherries are de-licious! For some reason, cherries were never at the top of my favorite fruits growing up. I have a vague memory of myself eating too many tart ones (looking for a sweet one!) and it made my stomach hurt, thus turning me off to cherries for a long time. It wasn’t until I moved to the pacific northwest that I discovered the rainer cherry. The rainer cherry is like a crisp sauvignon blanc where as a bing is more like a deep cabernet. Each have their place in the flavor wheel and are equally as good, but good in different moods and with different foods. I used a really good vanilla extract in this pie which gave it a wonderful aroma, complimenting the fruitiness of the cherries. Next time I want to use a vanilla bean, I think it would taste wonderful!
It seems only appropriate that I am on a super pie kick lately! In getting ready for Pietopia, I’ve sent some of these special pies out as a little Pietopia PR 
. I hope the recipients like them! I saved myself a little bit of the filling and dough and made a pocket pie so I could taste what I was sending out. It was good .
This is not your average cherry pie–this is the crisp, summer, warm-weather version that would be great with a glass of a crisp white wine! A truly excellent edition to any pie-maker/pie-eater’s repitore. Cheers!
Rainer Cherry Pie
Filling:
2-3 pounds of cherries, pitted (you have enough when they make a nice mound in your pie plate)
1/2 c sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, pods scraped out
Pit cherries and mix with sugar and vanilla. Set aside
(pitted cherries mounded in the pan) Dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup earth balance
1 tablespoon apple cidar vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon ice cold water
Combine flour, butter, earth balance, salt, and vinegar. Mash together with your hands until butter is incorporated in chunks with the flour. Add the water and continue mixing with your hands until a big clump forms. Split into fourths and roll each out (2 for pie bottoms and 2 for pie tops). Line the bottom of the pan, fill with cherries, and then place the top dough on. Cut around the edges for any extra hanging off, and then pinch around the sides with your thumbs to seal it. Make some little slits in the top for air vents. Place in a preheated oven of 400 degrees F and bake for 45 mins-1 hour.
Enjoy!
