Life happened (as it does sometimes) and I forgot I posted this! Thanks for the replies. I pitted the cherries and it was quite a bit more difficult than expected. :) Still, I managed to pit and freeze them (it looked like a massacre had happened). I made the world's smallest cherry pie this weekend, but...it was the best tasting cherry pie I'd ever had. Nanking cherries make EXCELLENT pies. Bird netting is going up next year. I'm not sharing with the catbird. The pie was also very well received, so it was completely worth the effort. The white cherries in the picture are white nanking cherries. I have both white and red bushes (but prefer the red). Thanks again, Bellatrix

Hi Linda, Here are the Zuni Cafe & two Junior League recipes for tomato pies. I included the California JL recipe because it calls for Cheddar rather than the milder white cheeses that most recipes specify, so it's different. (This cookbook has been one of myt favorites & very reliable for me for over 30 years.) I hope you enjoy. Savory Onion Tarts with Saffron, Tomato, Anchovies & Olives Adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook 4 servings 1 package puff-pastry, defrosted 3 tbsp. olive oil 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced salt 1 bay leaf a sprig of thyme a few saffron threads 1 small, very ripe tomato or 15-20 cherry tomatoes (about 3 oz) 4 salt-packed anchovy filets, cut lengthwise into 3 or 4 strips each extra-virgin olive oil 4 mild black olives Warm the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a few sprinkles of salt. Let the onions cook until they start browning, then stir and let the onions cook again, stirring every few minutes until all the onions are lightly golden. Add the bay leaf, thyme and saffron, stir and cook until the onions are golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Slice the tomato about 1/4 �inch thick or halve the cherry tomatoes, and salt very lightly. Let set for a few minutes to drain, then pat with a towel to sop up moisture. Drizzle the anchovies with extra-virgin olive oil When you are ready to assemble the tarts, turn on the oven to 400F. Grease a baking sheet or cover it with wax paper. Remove the puff pastry from the box and lay flat in a working surface. Cut the pastry into squares measuring 8" across. To get two squares out of a 13" packaged sheet, you may have to cut out one square and then combine the two resulting rectangles. Place one fourth of the cooled onions into each rectangle and spread, stopping about 1" from the borders. Top with the tomato slices, the anchovy strips& the olives. Fold up the borders. Bake until golden, about 20-30 minutes. Fresh Tomato Tart From the Junior League Celebration Cookbook 6 servings 1 pie crust, baked 3 large ripe tomatoes seasoned salt & freshly ground pepper to taste 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried 1/2 c. mayonnaise 1/2 c. grated/shaved Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 c. cracker crumbs Slice the tomatoes & place in layers in the tart shell. Sprinkle with the seasoned salt, pepper & basil. Combine the mayonnaise, Parmesan & garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the cracker crumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Tomato Pie From the California Heritage Cookbook, Junior League of Pasadena 6-8 servings 1 9-inch pie shell, baked 2-3 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored &thickly sliced 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/4 c chopped fresh chives or green onions 1/4 c mayonnaise 1 c shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz) Line the pie crust with the tomatoes, covering the bottom completely. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, basil & chives. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise & cheese. Spread the mixture evenly over the tomato slices, making sue to seal the edges of the pie crust completely. Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Serve at once while hot & bubbling. Note: May also be prepared using 6 tart shells about 2 inches in diameter. Divide ingredients among the shells & bake at 400 degrees for 2-25 minutes

Without a recipe for the filling, I really couldn't say about that... But... thaw the pastry, and pat it into the tart tins...making sure to get it into all the fluted edges. Then place a piece of foil into the shell, fill it with "pie weights"..sort of metal beads...or use beans you save just for that use...and bake at 375 for about 12 minutes...remove the weights and the foil and bake another 3 or 4 minutes and cool. Now if you are useing a cooked filling put it into the cooled crust ( the filling should be cool too) then just before serving, top with the fruit....I suspect that's what the cherries were for? What a wonderful thing to do!....and now you can make tarts often ...in his memory. I am adding a copied recipe from a mag. of a lot of years ago...perhaps it will give you an idea of how he made the dough...and how you might make some when this is gone. Linda C This from Cook's magazine a lot of years ago......none better! Pastry: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup cake flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 pound chilled butter in cubes 2 egg yolks....and water if needed. Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter until mix resembles peas. Work in the egg yolks....and if necessare to make a smooth stiff dough, up to 3T of water. Form into ball, cover and chill 30 minutes. Roll dough slightly larger than tart pan.....fit into pan and roll the pin over the edges of the pan to cut off excess dough....Chill at least 5 minutes....or over night. Fill with buttered foil weight with pie weights or beans and bake 10 minutes at 375, remoive weights and foil and bake another 10 minutes at 350. Pastry cream 2 1/2 T. flour 1/4 cup sugar pinch of salt 3 egg yolks 1 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 T eau d'vie...or liquor that blends well with the fruit youa re going to use. 2 tsp butter. Mix sugar and salt in a heavy pan,beat in egg yolks, gradually whisk in milk, cook and whisk over low heat until bubbles break surface.....boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat ands tir in vanilla and liquor. lay plastic wrap on the surface of the cream and chill. Glaze 1 cup of apricot preservs or red currant jelly and 1 T water.... Heat until jelly is melted. Put pastry into shell, cut up fresh fruit of your choice ( strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots, kiwi....or a mixture.) Brush with glaze,chill and serve

It's a beautiful pie. Did you dry-render or wet-render your lard? Dry-rendering gives you toasty bits but you may not like the flavor in a pastry crust. Wet-rendering (with water) gives you a pure white lard with much less "meatiness" in the flavor. Carol