Door County Cherry Pie

If using fresh cherries, remove pits. Save juice that is extracted from the pitting process. If using frozen cherries, thaw the cherries slightly, keeping the juice.

Place the cherries and juice in a large sauce pot and place on medium-low heat. As the cherries warm, more juice will come out.

Combine the sugar and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add mixture to the cherries. Put back on medium-low heat and cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the extract. Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375º F. Using a favorite pie dough recipe, roll out dough large enough to fit into a 9-inch pie pan, with about 1 inch of dough hanging over the edge. Place cooled filling into the lined pie pan.

Combine the whole egg with the milk or half and half. Brush lightly around the edges of the lined pie crust. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 10-inch round and place on top of the pie. Trim the dough and crimp. Using a small paring knife make three half-inch slits on the top of the pie to release steam during baking.

Brush the top of the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking pan (in case it bubbles over). Bake for 45–50 minutes or until nicely browned. Let pie cool for at least one hour before serving.