Kuch Khaas Hai...

Don't be fooled by the "mini" in this recipe's name; these pies are packed with maximum flavor. You’ll also find a recipe to make the whole wheat pastry.


Ingredients

* 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch or quick-cooking tapioca
* 5-1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened pitted tart red cherries
* Fat-free milk (optional)
* Coarse sugar (optional)
* Whole Wheat Pastry


Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar and cornstarch. Add cherries; gently toss until coated. Let mixture stand about 15 minutes or until a syrup forms, stirring occasionally. (If using frozen cherries, let cherry mixture stand about 45 minutes or until fruit is partially thawed but still icy.)

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Whole Wheat Pastry dough. Set aside one-fourth of the dough. Divide remaining dough into five portions. On lightly floured surface, roll each portion to a 6-1/2 inch circle. Line five 4-inch tart pans with pastry. Trim to just beyond edge of each pan. Crimp as desired. Set aside.

3. Roll the reserved dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 2- to 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut the rolled out dough into heart shapes. Using a smaller heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut another heart from the center of each heart cutout.

4. Stir cherry mixture; transfer to pastry-lined tart pans. Place the heart shapes on filling. If desired, brush pastry with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

5. Place tarts on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (60 to 70 minutes if used frozen fruit) or until filling is bubbly in centers and pastry is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 5 tarts (10 servings).

6. Whole Wheat Pastry: In a medium bowl, stir together 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2/3 cup transfat-free shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, until all of the dough is moistened (6 to 8 tablespoons cold water total). Form dough into a ball.

7. For 9-inch pie: Prepare filling and pastry as directed. Divide pastry into two portions. On lightly floured surface, roll one dough portion to a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry circle. Roll out remaining pastry and cut heart cutouts as directed in step 3. Stir cherry mixture; transfer to pastry-lined pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate; fold under edge and crimp as desired. Arrange heart cutouts on filling. If desired, brush with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake for 30 minutes (or 50 minutes if used frozen fruit). Remove foil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 10 servings.

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