Really a cranberry pie
People like berry pies, but berries are not in season at Thanksgiving when you have time to make pies and a lot of people coming over. Fortunately, this is the time of year when cranberries are available, and cranberries make a delicious berry pie. Serve this at Thanksgiving alongside the pumpkin pie, and people will be raving about it.
How to make mock cherry pie:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a small saucepan over medium heat, put 3 cups of cranberries, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of water. Cook until the cranberries pop and turn into cranberry sauce. Add one tablespoon of flour and stir, then turn off the heat and let the cranberry sauce cool.
Meanwhile, make a pie crust. In a medium-size mixing bowl, melt half a stick of butter in the microwave (or use 1/2 cup of coconut fat for a vegan version). Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix. Take 2/3 of this dough and put it in a pie pan. Spread the crust out with your fingers so that it covers the bottom and sides of the pie pan.
Or (if you have the time), cut the same butter into pats and mix them with the flour. Smush them with your fingers until they are small balls. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar. That will make a better pie crust.
Now add a teaspoon of vanilla to your cranberry filling, mix, and pour it into your pie crust. Crumble the rest of the crust over the top of the pie. Add 4 pats of butter on top if you want the crust nicely browned, or brush with a little olive oil. Bake for 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Serve plain or with whipped cream.
Vegetarian or vegan
Mock cherry pie is vegetarian, but it’s not vegan. If you want it vegan, use coconut fat in the crust instead of butter.