Cherry Pie with Ice Cream

To make the pastry: Combine the butter and solid vegetable shortening and chill for 1/2 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together. Cut the butter-shortening mixture into chunks and add to the flour mixture; cut in with a pastry blender or 2 forks until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix the vinegar, egg yolk, and 2 tablespoons of ice water together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the flour mixture and stir with a fork to moisten evenly, stirring as little as possible. Add more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, as necessary until the pastry is moist enough to gather into a ball. Gently press the pastry into a ball. Cut in two and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (The pastry may be kept 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, and up to 8 weeks in the freezer.)

Take one of the balls of pastry out of the refrigerator and flatten with your hand. Roll out into a thin 8-inch square on a lightly floured work surface. Cut in quarters and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other ball of pastry. Prick the pastry pieces all over with a fork to keep them from rising. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To make the crumble topping: Blend the flour, butter, and sugar together with your fingers until the mixture is well blended, but still has chunks. Set aside.

To prepare the filling: In a deep sauce pan, combine the cherries, sugar, Kirsch, cinnamon stick, anise seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, and clove. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve, draining well. Reserve both the solids and the juice. Put the juice in a squeeze bottle. Remove the cinnamon stick pieces and cardamom pods from the cherries.

To assemble: Preheat the broiler to high. Place the pasty squares on a baking sheet. Pile the cherries on the squares and top with the crumble. Place under the broiler just long enough to brown the crumble on the top, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

To serve: Drizzle the plates with the cherry juice. Place a tart on each plate. Top each with a scoop of ice cream and a cinnamon stick.

Grappa Ice Cream

In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream and half-and-half to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 6 to 8 minutes. Slowly whisk some of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, then add the egg yolks to the hot cream mixture. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the mixture, then put the pods in the pan. Stir in the grappa and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, or until the mixture begins to boil and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and strain. Let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.