1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Make pastry and refrigerate.
2. Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup liquid. In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in cherry liquid and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. When mixture is thickened, add butter, almond extract and cherries. Cover and refrigerate.
4. On lightly covered surface, roll out half of the pastry into an 11-inch circle. Place in 9-inch pie dish. Roll other half of pastry into a second 11-inch circle. With a knife, or pastry wheel, cut eight 1/2-inch strips from dough.
5. Pour cooled cherry filling into pie dish. Place pastry strips horizontally, then vertically, across the top of the pie and lightly brush with egg yolk. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool before serving.
cup white sugar 
