Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Coat the baking dish or pie plate with the butter. Place cherries evenly in the dish.
Blend all of the remaining ingredients until you have a really smooth custard.
Pour the custard over the cherries evenly.
Put the baking dish on a cookie sheet to catch any juices that overflow, and place in the preheated oven. Bake 45-66 minutes until edges are golden and puffy and the center doesn't jiggle and appears firm when touched lightly.
You can serve the clafoutis warm, or, for a firmer texture, cool thoroughly before slicing. You can also refrigerate before serving. Dust on some powdered sugar before serving and scatter on some blanched, sliced almonds if using.