Cherry Pie in the Sky: Two Cherry-Themed Summer Recipes

Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl | July 20, 2024

Cherry Festival is over, but the party doesn’t have to end! For the next month or so, cherries can be found around every corner Up North.

To U-pick all the rubies your heart desires, one of my favorite spots is Santucci Farm on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City. Just a stone’s throw up the peninsula, you’ll find Edmondson Orchards if you’d rather purchase from a roadside farm stand. Make sure to buy at least a quart of sweet and tart each, and while you’re at it, look for unique varieties like Ebony Pearl and White Gold.

As for fun cherry treats, get your cherry fix at Inn and Trail Gourmet in Glen Arbor with one of their delectable Cherry Poptarts, and then head around the corner to Cherry Republic for a jar of one of the sassiest cherry barbecue sauces this side of the Mitten’s little pinky.

Once you’re stocked up, head to the kitchen to try these two cherry-inspired recipes.

Cherry BBQ Calzones

A handmade portable pizza that is sweet, salty, and spicy all in one pocket.

Ingredients
5 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups warm water
Extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 jar Cherry Republic’s Cherry Barbecue Sauce
1 8-oz. log fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 small can sliced pineapple, drained, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup sweet cherries, pitted, halved

To make the calzones: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir in the water. Knead until smooth, around two to three minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, one hour. Divide into four pieces and shape into balls. Cover and refrigerate for one hour (up to overnight).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll or press out each ball to a rough 12-inch circle. Brush each center with olive oil, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with minced garlic, onion, and pepper flakes. On one half of the circle, spread a 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce, making sure you leave a border uncovered. Top the sauce with a few slices of mozzarella, pineapple, and a handful of cherries. Fold over the other half. Press edges to seal. Crimp to your style. Carefully pick up and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 40 minutes, or until nicely browned. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.

Pretty in Pink Cherry Pierogi

Show off the cream of the crop in this savory-gone-sweet classic. Makes ~32.

Filling Ingredients
1 quart tart cherries, pitted (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons water

Dough Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
Extra vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar
Sour cream

To make the filling: Mix together all the ingredients in a medium pot. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Chill until ready to use.

To make the dough: Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the oil followed by the water. Mix until shaggy, then turn to kneading the dough for two to three minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball, then wrap in plastic. Let sit on the counter for one hour. Divide dough in half. Roll out one half to 1/8-inch thick, or until the thickness of a thick cracker. Keep the other half wrapped until ready to use. Using your favorite cup or a biscuit cutter (around 3-1/2 inches wide), cut dough into rounds. Using a brush or your fingertips, rub a little water around the edge of each circle.

Place 1 tablespoon of the cherry filling in the center of each. Pick up and close the pierogi so it looks like a half moon. Pinch seam to seal, then crimp in your own decorative style. Repeat with remaining dough.

Boil in a large pot of salted water for three minutes, or until they start to float. Try not to overcrowd them—start with boiling around 8 to 10 at a time. Once boiled, place in a large bowl. Drizzle over a teaspoon or two of oil to coat the pierogi before frying.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add pierogies in a single layer. Cook for a few minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook until golden on the other side. Repeat with remaining pierogies. Serve hot with a dusting of powdered sugar and dollop of sour cream.

Nora Rae Pearl is 99 percent foodie and 1 percent chef. When she is not writing about food, she can be found waiting in line at the farmers market hoping to get a croissant before they run out. Photo credits Cody Werme.