Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of foil on the bottom of the oven to catch any drips.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 0.75 cup sugar, tapioca, and cornstarch. Toss in the cherries and almond extract and set aside for 15 minutes.

Remove the pie plate from the freezer and, using a pastry brush, lightly moisten the dough along the rim with water. Toss the cherry mixture briefly and spoon it into the unbaked pie shell. Place the dough cut-outs around the outside edge, overlapping them slightly. One the outside circle is complete, begin another concentric row of overlapping dough hearts. Leave a few open spaces here and there which will act as vents. If using different size cutters, use the larger ones near the edge and the smaller ones in the center.

When the pie is completely covered, brush the top lightly with cold water and sprinkle evenly with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry begins to brown. Lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake until the top is nicely browned and the juice is bubbling out, about 15 minutes more. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours.