Blue Ribbon Cherry Pie

This won the Mississippi Cherry Pie Contest in 1962.

Cherry Pie Filling:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soft butter
1/2 cup cherry juice
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups drained canned cherries (reserve liquid)

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in butter. Combine cherry juice, food coloring, almond extract, and lemon juice. Add this mixture to dry ingredients. Add cherries and let stand while preparing pastry. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; fill with cherry mixture. Make lattice top; flute edges. Cut a 3-inch strip of aluminum foil and fold loosely around the edge of the pie. Bake at 400 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes.

Rich Pastry:
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup milk
1 egg white

Sift flour with salt and sugar. Cut in 1/2 shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal. Cut in other 1/2 until mixture resembles large peas. Beat egg yolk and lemon juice together. Blend in juice and milk. Add to dry ingredients, tossing with a fork into a soft dough. Form into a ball. Divide ball into halves. Roll first half to 1/8-inch thickness. After putting dough into pie pan, brush bottom with egg white. Roll second half out and cut into strips to make lattice top.