“Cherry pie is everyone’s childhood”, says Kathleen O’Brien, co-owner of Harry’s Roadhouse, Santa “Fe-mous” for their pies. It’s a seasonal favorite on Harry’s menu, alongside their extensive dessert offerings. Cranking out four cherry pies a day, they typically sell all but a piece or two by noon. That’s how beloved and special their cherry pie is. Harry’s Pastry Chef, Karina Lira, also shares tips for best pie results.
Tips for Making This Harry’s Roadhouse Cherry Pie
- Use local tart or sour cherries. Start at the Farmer’s Market.
- Mix the ingredients correctly, beginning with corn starch and sugar, then adding the fruit.
- For the crust, keep the ingredients cold and don’t over-mix!
- “Warm pie, a la mode!” (that means with ice cream) is Karina’s suggestion for serving.
Harry’s Roadhouse Cherry Pie
Description
A memory from childhood, cherry pie is simple nostalgic and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
For Harry’s pie crust:
- 4 cups pastry flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp butter
- 10 tbsp margarine
- 1 cup ice water (with ice removed)
For the filling:
- 6 cups tart cherries, pits removed
- 3/4–1 cup sugar, depending on how tart the cherries are
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 1 egg white, beaten
- Sugar, for dusting on top of the lattice
Instructions
For Harry’s pie crust:
- Assemble ingredients.
- Keep butter, margarine, and water cold.
- Cut up butter and margarine into small pieces.
- Mix together flour and salt.
- Cut the butter and margarine into the flour until it is crumbly like cornmeal, without a lot of big chunks, using an electric mixer or by hand.
- Add ice water all at once to the dough.
- Continue mixing until the dough seems fairly smooth.
- Throw in a small handful of flour, then beat it again for a few seconds. This seems to smooth out the dough a little more and make it easy to work with. Avoid overworking so dough does not become tough.
For the filling:
- Mix cornstarch, salt, sugar, orange juice and zest.
- Add cherries and mix until just combined.
- Add filling to prepared uncooked pie crust.
- Roll out the other two discs and cut out ½ to ¾” lattice strips to form the top crust. Weave the lattice strips on top of the pie and crimp to the edge of the crust or do as Harry’s does and trim to fit inside the crust.
- Fold the strips over the edge of the pie crust dough and either pinch or crimp the edges.
- Brush the lattice with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes.
Recipe by Kathleen O’Brien, Co-Owner of Harry’s Roadhouse
Story by Cyndy Tanner
Photography by Tira Howard
Production and Styling by Parasol Productions
Shot on location at El Zaguán
Pie by Harry’s Roadhouse
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.
