Honey-Sweetened Cherry Pie

Preparation

1. To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, quickly rub the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until smaller but still visible. Add sour cream and oil; toss with a fork to combine with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle 1/4 cup water over the mixture. Toss with a fork until evenly moist. Knead the dough in the bowl a few times—the mixture may still be a little crumbly. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in half and shape into two 5-inch disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
2. To prepare filling: Just before you’re ready to roll out the dough, process tapioca in a clean spice grinder, mini food processor or blender until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and add cherries, honey, lemon juice, cloves (if using) and salt; toss well to combine. Set aside.
3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below; preheat to 425°F.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator; let stand for 10 minutes to warm slightly. Roll one portion between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Peel off the remaining paper. Moisten the outer edge of the dough with water. Scrape the filling into the crust. (If you’re using frozen, thawed cherries, leave any excess liquid behind in the bowl.)
5. To prepare lattice top: Roll the remaining dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet. Cut the dough into 1-inch strips using a pastry wheel or a knife. Lift off every other strip and lay them on top of the pie, leaving about a 1-inch gap between strips. Use the shorter strips for the edges and the longer ones for the middle of the pie. (You may not need to use the outermost strips.) Fold back the first, third and fifth strips of dough to the edge of the pie. Place a shorter strip of dough across the second and fourth strips, about 1 inch from the edge. Unfold the folded strips over the crosswise strip. Fold back the second and fourth strips over the first crosswise strip. Place another strip crosswise, about 1 inch from the first. Unfold the strips over the second crosswise strip. Continue folding back alternating strips and placing crosswise strips until the top is covered with woven strips. Trim any overhanging crust. Crimp the outer edge with a fork. Brush just the lattice top (not the outer edge) with the egg white-honey mixture.
6. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Then rotate it 180 degrees and reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Continue baking until the crust is golden and the filling is beginning to bubble, 40 to 50 minutes more. Check the crust toward the end; if it’s looking too dark, tent the top and edges with foil to prevent overbrowning. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate the crust (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

• Tips: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Find it at large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
• To pit fresh cherries, use a tool made for the job—a hand-held cherry pitter; it also works for olives! Or pry out the pit with the tip of a knife or vegetable peeler.

Nutrition