Ingredients

• 3/4  cup dried tart red cherries
• 1/2  cup brandy or orange juice
• 1  Recipe Single-Crust Pie Pastry or 1/2 of a 15-oz. pkg. rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust (1 crust)
• 1/3  cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1-1/2  cups sugar
• 3  eggs
• 1/8  tsp. salt
• 1  cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4  cup all-purpose flour
• 3  oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
•   Sweetened Whipped Cream (optional)

Directions

1. In small bowl combine dried cherries and brandy. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and reserve 1 tablespoon of the brandy.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare pastry and line 9-inch pie plate.

3. In medium bowl whisk together butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Stir in walnuts, flour and 2 ounces of the chopped chocolate just until combined. Stir in drained cherries and the 1 tablespoon reserved brandy. Spoon filling into crust-lined pie plate. Bake for 65 minutes, loosely covering the pie with foil the last 30 minutes of baking. Sprinkle with remaining chopped chocolate. Cool on a wire rack.

4. To serve, top with Sweetened Whipped Cream. Makes 10 servings.

Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie: In a medium bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened pastry to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time (total of 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water) until all the flour is moistened. Form pastry into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll pastry from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Do not pick pastry.

Sweetened Whipped Cream: In chilled large mixing bowl beat 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Makes about 2 cups.