Fresh Fridays: Concord Grape Pie

9.30.16

Well I can blame the friends, the football, the auditions, the bourbon, or the half marathon training.  But wherever I decide to place the blame, truth is, this week just got away from me.  I have a backlog of about 5 recipes at this point to share, outfit ideas for almost all, and zero posts to prove it, until now. I definitely have a lot going on as fall almost officially commences, and I work better under stress anyway, but day in and day out I went to bed and realized I had gotten nothing done in regards to Domestic B(i)atch. 

While it was a very productive and exciting week, one of the top things to happen to me I didn’t even know had happened!  What is this you ask? Well I was featured on HuffPost Canada’s Living Section in a slideshow presenting recipes on how to utilize overripe bananas.  My Elvis Cake was one of the 29 recipes provided (mine is number 14) and it was exciting and a shock when I was looking over where my blog traffic was coming from and saw Huffington Post as a source. It was a surprising discovery, but I was pleased nonetheless. Check out the article, there are some tasty-looking desserts alongside my own that would be great to make if your bananas are on the verge of going back to nature.

And even though I have recipes waiting to be shared, I KNEW I wanted to make this one for weeks, months even.  The whole concept started years ago when my husband and I took a weekend away to the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. There are some great wineries up there, beautiful stretches of land, and also, a little store on the side of the road known for their grape pies.  That’s right.  Now looking into it Concord grapes have a large home in upstate NY so it’s no surprise to me now that this little store exists.  We bought a grape pie because that’s why you go there and took it home, skeptical, wishing we didn’t have to leave our weekend getaway. But then we ate the pie.  It was out of this world.  The flavor was so bright and fresh and I’ve thought of that pie ever since. 

 Back then, this blog didn’t exist, so when I began looking into fruits in season and realized late September is Concord grape time, I was ecstatic.  I was determined to make a grape pie, and I did.  And it’s outrageously good.

This was one of those things I was grateful I researched before I actually made it.  I figured, oh fruit pie, big deal, throw the grapes in with some sugar, lemon zest and cornstarch and call it a day!! WRONG. YOU’RE WRONG! In order to make this pie correctly, you have to separate the pulp from the skins.  You’ll end up using both, but I had no idea this step existed.  Which made this a ten min project, to a forty-five minute project…..but it was worth it! Put on some music, and squeeze the pulp out of those grapes.

What I was so fascinated by was the smell.  These grapes are the ‘grape’ flavor you get in suckers, jam, soda, jelly beans.  You name it. If the word ‘grape’ is on anything that isn’t actually a grape, the flavor is THIS kind of grape. While I made this pie I kept leaning in to sniff the bowl of pulp.  The pulp is green, which is weird, but it smells like the freshest grape Kool Aid you’ve ever drunk. When the pulp was breaking down on the stove, I didn’t want to leave the kitchen.  It was amazing how potent the smell was!

I thought a two-crust pie would be the best fit for this.  However, when it comes to spotting the center for some steam holes, my accuracy leaves something to be desired……..

Yikes.  Zero points on finding the center of that top crust.  At least it tasted delicious.

I’ve also discovered the best way to make a perfectly golden pie.  Put the pie shield on the outer edge at the beginning of the bake! I usually bake my pie and towards the end I’m like, “Oh shit the crust is going to burn!”  And frantically grab my pie shield and pull the pie out of the oven and try not to burn myself, which is always unsuccessful, before putting the pie back in the oven. 

However by putting the pie shield on FIRST, and taking it off about 20 minutes before the pie was finished, it came out golden and unburnt!

With the pulp being green, I was concerned about what the inside of the pie would look like once baked.  Strikingly purple.  So rich, like the deepest purple out there. Taste is important, but when the inside looks that nice, it makes you all the more excited to have a piece.

I had to try a slice as soon as it was cooled and it was heaven.  I know grape pie may seem a little unconventional, or uncommon, but I will convert you I swear.  Go to the grocery store or the farmers market and buy some Concord grapes and make this pie! The season for this fruit is short and therefore you must enjoy sooner rather than later! 

When I brought this to football Sunday it was devoured. Devoured I say!!! If I have time in the next week I would love to make at least one more time before the season is over. Maybe I’ll make two and freeze one for later in the year!!

Obsessed.  The color itself is enough to get me all riled up.  Go try something new.  Make yourself a grape pie.  You deserve it.  And your friends will thank you.

Concord Grape Pie

Ingredients

For the Crusts

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup butter, chilled and sliced
• 2-4 Tbsp ice cold water

For the Filling

• 3 quarts (4-5 cups) Concord grapes
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• zest from one lemon
• splash lemon juice
• 1 egg, slightly beaten (for wash)

Instructions

For the Crusts

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar to mix
• Add in sliced butter, half at a time and pulse until coarse crumbs form
• Slowly stream in water until dough begins to form
• Once dough starts to come together remove from processor and on plastic wrap press together until it becomes one smooth solid ball
• Divide ball in two and pat into discs, wrap each in plastic wrap and allow to chill 1 hour or up to overnight

For the Pie

• Squeeze the pulp of each grape into a small saucepan, placing the skins in a large bowl
• Over low-medium heat reduce pulp until broken down, about 8-10 minutes
• Pour pulp through a fine mesh sieve into the bowl with the skins and discard seeds
• In the large bowl with skins and pulp, add in corn starch, sugar, lemon zest and juice, carefully toss with a spatula and allow to cool completely
• Once grapes are cooled, preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Take crusts out of fridge and allow to soften slightly
• On a floured surface roll out first crust into a circle 1-2″ wider the pie dish (about 9-10 inches)
• Carefully drape crust over pie dish and press into corners
• Trim edges so they slightly hang over the edge of pie dish
• Pour cooled filling into crust
• Roll out second crust so it is also wider than pie dish and carefully drape over top of pie
• Trim off excessive edges and crimp the edges of both crusts together to seal
• Brush the top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar
• Cut 4-6 slits into the top of pie to vent
• Place pie shield (or foil) around the edge of pie
• Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
• Turn oven down to 350 degrees (without removing pie from oven) and continue to bake for 40-45 more minutes, you should just be starting to see juices starting to bubble through the slits and the crust should be golden brown
• During the final 15-20 minutes of baking, carefully remove pie shield and place back in oven
• Allow to cool before enjoying

P.S.

*Squeezing the pump sounds crazier than it is. They pop right out.

Adapted from Martha Stewart (crust)