Chequerboard Cherry Pie

Directions
Preparation:25min  ›  Cook:50min  ›  Ready in:1hour15min 

1. Put the flour and 2 tbsp of the sugar in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the spread and mix until coarse crumbs form. Add the fromage frais, then, with the motor running, add the water, 1 tbsp at a time, processing until the pastry holds together. Shape into two 20cm discs, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the cherries, cornflour and almond essence in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Coat a 23cm pie tin or dish with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface roll out one of the pastry discs into a 38cm round. Gently roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and ease into the pie dish. Trim the edge, leaving a 2.5cm overhang. Brush the pastry with about 2 tsp of the egg white mixture, then spoon in the cherry filling.
4. Roll out the remaining disc of pastry into a 30cm round. Cut into strips 2cm wide using a fluted pastry or pizza wheel. Weave the strips on top of the filling to make a lattice pattern. Trim the ends, leaving a 2.5cm overhang. Make a 2.5cm stand-up edge, folding in the ends of lattice strips as you go. Flute the edge.
5. Brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg white mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar. Place the pie dish on a foil-lined baking tray to catch any overflow. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C. Bake for a further 35–40 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned and the filling juices are bubbling in the centre.

Some more ideas…

*In place of cherries, use other canned fruit packed in juice, such as apricots, mango or peaches.
*You can also use frozen fruit for the pie filling.

Health points

*By using a little spread with fromage frais for the pastry, the fat content is quite modest when compared to the usual shortcrust.
*While the vitamin C in cherries is diminished by the canning process, cherries are still rich in phytochemicals that battle free radicals, inhibit inflammation and help keep arteries healthy. This combination makes them a particularly fine food for improving blood pressure.