Red Cherry Pie - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 (16 ounce) cans pitted tart cherries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5 drops red food coloring
2 9-inch deep dish pie crusts (homemade or frozen)

Preparation

Drain Cherries, reserving 1 cup juice; set cherries aside.
Combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan; stir mixture to remove lumps.
Stir cherry juice into sugar mixture.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened.
Remove from heat; stir in cherries, 1/2 cup sugar, butter, and almond extract.
Stir in food coloring, if desired.
Line a 9\" pieplate with half of pastry.
Pour cherry mixture into the pastry shell.
Cover with top crust.
Trim edges of pastry; seal and crimp edges.
Cut slits in top of crust for steam to escape.
Bake at 425\u00b0 for 45-55 minutes or until golden.
Yield: one 9\" pie.