Pour cherries and almond extract into a saucepan. Mix sugar and cornstarch together then stir into cherries. Cook cherries over moderate heat until they boil and clear, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder; pulse to mix. Cut butter into small bits and pulse with dry ingredients. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly add a bit of egg to mixture, pulse and add a bit more egg. Continue until you have a moist but not wet ball of dough. Reserve any leftover egg. Flatten dough into a disk and cover. Chill 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper, roll out half the dough and cut into a disk about 11 inches in diameter. (Add scraps to remaining dough.) Place on a parchment-covered sheet pan. Spread with cooled cherry filling to ½ inch of the edge.

Roll out remaining dough and slice into ½- inch strips. Make a lattice crust with strips, trim the dough scraps from the sides of the lattice and set the scraps aside. Egg-wash the edges of the crostada, then set remaining dough scraps on the egg-washed edge to build it up. Crimp dough edges with your thumbs to create a design. Bake the tart until golden, 25–30 minutes.

Apple or Pear Filling

Peel, core and slice apples or pears. Heat a large skillet and melt butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add fruit and sauté until slices begin to wilt, 8–10 minutes. Add sugar, liquor and cinnamon and cook fruit until filling is almost dry, 8–15 minutes more. Cool.

Cherry Filling

Note: The crostada may be made with other fruits such as apples or pears. In place of the cherry filling, substitute the following: