Concord Grape Pie
The first time my parents took me to Disneyland, they probably assumed that they’d be spending the day racing after an energetic tyke who’d try to get on as many rides as possible. Instead of hitting all the main attractions, I discovered the Welch’s grape-colored pavilion and begged my parents to let me spend the day there, chugging inky-purple Concord grape juice. I doubt the pavilion is still there, but it was the start of my lifelong love affair with this native American grape. You might think seeding the quantity of grapes for this recipe would require a considerable amount of time. But I timed myself, and it took less than 30 minutes. Simply slice each grape in half and pluck out the seeds. If you have kids, you can get them to assist, although don’t hold me responsible if any of them develops a grape addiction as a result.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 9-inch (23-cm) pie; 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 2
In a medium bowl, mix together the grapes, granulated sugar, and tapioca flour. Set aside.
Step 3
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out one disk of dough into a 14-inch (36-cm) circle. Drape it into a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate. Trim away the excess dough, leaving a slight overhang and distribute the grape mixture in the dough-lined pie plate.
Step 4
Roll out the second dough disk into a 14-inch (36-cm) circle. Moisten the exposed edges of the dough in the pie plate with water, then drape the second dough circle over the top. Working all the way around the pie, tuck the upper dough edges under the lower dough edges and crimp to seal.
Step 5
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk or cream. Brush the top crust generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse-crystal or granulated sugar. Pierce the top crust with a paring knife in 6 places.
Step 6
Bake until the top crust is browned and the filling juices are thick and bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust is browning too quickly, loosely drape a sheet of aluminum foil over the top during baking.
Step 7
Let the pie cool for about 1 hour before serving.
Serving
Step 8
Don’t expect to cut neat wedges of this pie. Vanilla Ice Cream (page 143) or whipped cream (page 239) are lovely accompaniments.
Variation
Step 9
If you come across seedless Concord-style grapes at greenmarkets, you can use them, but be sure to halve them anyway, which breaks the skin and helps them soften during baking.
tip
Step 10
Tapioca flour is available at Asian markets or by mail order (see Resources, page 270). It makes a clear, glossy pie filling. Substitute an equal amount of cornstarch if tapioca flour is unavailable.
