Cherry pie is my favourite pie and perhaps my favourite dessert. When my family first immigrated to Canada from Scotland, I became addicted to it.

Those tart, jewel-red cherries suspended in a thick cornstarch glaze surrounded by flaky pastry gave me comfort while I tried to learn to adjust to life in Canada.

My addiction did little for my waistline, but lots for my emotional stability. Quick-cooking tapioca works best if you whirl it in the food processor or mini-chop to make it more flour like.

1 recipe short-crust pastry (recipe below)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

Pinch salt

5 or 6 cups pitted sour cherries

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Divide pastry into two equal portions. Roll out one half and line a 9-inch pie plate leaving a one inch overhang. Reserve other portion of dough. Chill pie crust and remaining dough until needed.

Combine sugar, tapioca and salt in a bowl. Place cherries in a large bowl and toss with sugar mixture until coated. Fill chilled pie shell with cherry mixture.

To make lattice top:

Roll reserved pastry to 1/8-inch thick. Using a ruler and a pizza wheel, cut 16 ¾-inch strips. Lay 8 strips across the pie in one direction, leaving about ¾-inch gap between strips. To weave a lattice crust, gently fold back every other strip starting with the first strip on the left. Lay one strip of dough across top end of pie, perpendicular to original strips. Replace the folded strips.

Starting with the second strip from the left, fold back alternating strips. Lay another strip of dough parallel to the first crosswise strip, leaving ¾-inch of space between. Replace folded strips. Continue folding back alternating strips until lattice is woven. Or just lay one set of strips on and place the other on top.

Trim all pastry to about ½-inch overhang. Moisten the bottom crust with water and lightly press strips to it to seal together. Fold bottom crust overhand over the lattice ends and pinch together, making either a fluted or plain crust edge.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour more or until juices are bubbling and thick. Serve warm or cold.

SHORT-CRUST PASTRY

This flaky short-crust pastry is perfect for all fruit pies. Use trans fat-free shortening or all butter.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup trans fat-free shortening, cut in pieces

1/3 cup cold water

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

Sift together flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Combine water and vinegar or lemon juice. Add enough liquid to gather pastry into a ball and knead together for 1 minute. Divide dough into two equal portions.

Alternatively, place flour, salt, butter and shortening into a food processor. Pulse together. Add liquid but do not let pastry form a ball in the processor. Knead it together on a floured board by hand. Roll out as needed or wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

Makes enough pastry for one 9- or 10-inch two-crust pie