285. My dear friend Darlene was the first to introduce me to Concord Grape Pie. Every year, in the fall, she would collect concord grapes from her families grape vines and make us a perfect grape pie. At first we had never heard of such a pie till we tried it. It was fantastic!
Her pies were so perfect, her niece requested that her Aunt Darlene bake grape pie for her wedding in place of a wedding cake. Now that's the sign of a delicious dessert!
She taught me her recipe, of course it could never match Darlene's pie, but here is my version.
Concord Grape Pie
pie dough for a two crust pie
4 cups fresh concord grapes
2 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons tapioca
Roll out the bottom crust and place in pie plate.
Rinse the grapes and drain. Have ready a 3 quart saucepan and a bowl. Take each grape and squeeze the grape over the saucepan. The juice and center of the grape with the seeds will pop out and let it drop in the saucepan.
Place the skin in the bowl. Continue until all the fruit is separated.
Place the saucepan on the heat and bring to a boil. Boil for about 3 minutes till the seeds begin to rise to the top of the liquid.
Place a strainer over the bowl filled with the skins.
Pour the hot liquid with seeds into the strainer.
With a spoon or spatula, press the liquid pulp through the strainer back and forth.
Till all the liquid has gone through the strainer and the seeds are the only thing left. Throw away the seeds and scrap the strainer clean of all liquid and pulp.
Mix the pulp juice and skins together.
Add your sugar and tapioca. Mix and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Pour filling into a prepared pie crust.
Cover with a top crust and cut vent slits over pie to allow steam to escape.
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes and till you see bubbles of the filling rising from the opening slits.
Allow to cool. Slice the pie and serve with vanilla bean ice cream.
Now this is indeed a treat! This is how pie should taste!
"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand."
~Mother Teresa
"GRAPES - The Fruit of Hope!"
