Cherry & soured cream slab pie

Method

• step 1

  First, make the pastry. Tip all the ingredients and ¼ tsp salt into a food processor. Pulse until the dough starts to clump together. Tip onto a work surface and knead briefly until you have a smooth dough. Divide into two pieces, one a little bigger than the other, and shape into pucks. Wrap and chill for 30 mins. Will keep chilled for up to two days.

• step 2

  For the filling, toss the cherries with the jam, lemon juice, vanilla, sugar and cornflour until no floury streaks remain.

• step 3

  If you’ve kept the pastry chilled for more than 30 mins, remove from the fridge 20 mins before rolling and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

• step 4

  Dust your work surface with a little flour, then carefully roll out the larger piece of pastry until big enough to line the base and sides of a 29cm x 22cm roasting tin with a lip of about 3cm. The pastry will be delicate. If any cracks appear when rolling, squash them back together and keep going. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and into the tray – don’t worry if it breaks, just patch it up by pushing it into the corners and up the sides and closing any holes. There should be a little overhang around the edges. Spread the cherry filling on top in an even layer. Brush a little egg around the inside edge of the pastry.

• step 5

  Roll out the remaining pastry so it’s large enough to cover the pie. To make a lattice topping, cut the pastry into strips. Arrange half the strips in one direction over the pie, leaving a few centimetres gap between each. Weave the remaining strips under and over these in the opposite direction, creating a lattice pattern. Squash the pastry together around the edge, then trim the excess with a sharp knife. Crimp the edge and brush with egg wash.

• step 6

  Bake for 50-55 mins, checking the pie after 40 mins. The edges may brown more quickly than the centre; if this happens, wrap a little kitchen foil around the edges to protect it.

• step 7

  Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 mins. If you cut it too soon, the fruit juice will be very runny and spill out of the pie. Dust with the icing sugar and serve just warm with clotted cream.