Cherry Pie

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening with 2 knives or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in cold water by hand just until dough holds together. Divide dough in half and form into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Roll out 1 dough disk into an 11-inch circle and press it into a 9-inch pie dish. Place in the refrigerator until needed. Roll out remaining dough disk into an 11-inch circle for the top crust, transfer it to a plate or baking sheet, and refrigerate until needed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking tray in the oven to preheat.

Place cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium, non-aluminum saucepan. Allow mixture to stand until juices begin to release, about 10 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer until the juices thicken and become translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter and almond extract. Allow filling to cool to lukewarm.

Pour cooled filling into the prepared pie crust. Cover with top crust, trim and crimp the edges to seal, and cut vents for steam.

Bake in the preheated oven on the preheated baking tray until crust is golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Allow to cool for several hours before slicing.