Mom's Cherry Pie

NOTE: Make filling the night before and refrigerate. 

INGREDIENTS

FILLING: 

2 cans cherry pie filling (remove a lot of the "jelly" so it's mostly cherries)
2 1/2 TBSP tapioca
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/4 cup sugar butter
dot with butter when ready to cook

CRUMB TOPPING:
1 1/4 c flour
1 cup sugar
1 cube butter melted & cooled
1/4 tsp or less cinnamon

CRUST

SINGLE:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup + 1 TBSP butter flavor shortening
2-2 1/2 TBSP cold (icy) water

DOUBLE:
3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup + 3 TBSP butter flavor shortening
6-6 1/2 TBSP cold (icy) water

DIRECTIONS 

For the filling: 

1. Stir all ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

For the crust: 

1. Combine flour & salt
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender
3. Sprinkle water 1 TBSP at a time to the direst spot
4. Toss lightly with a fork
5. For an crust without a filling, bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes for an unbaked filling)
6. For a crust with a filling, bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Top with crumb topping or second pie crust.

For the crumb topping:

1. Mix dry
2. Add to top of pie
3. Foil on top after 15 minutes