Concord Grape Pie
Concord Grape Pie is a seasonal treat that highlights the vibrant flavor and color of this special grape variety. If you get ahold of some fresh concord grapes, drop everything and make this pie.
Concord Grapes have an intense flavor, amazing aroma and striking deep-purple color. There’s a reason that this is the grape used to make the quintessential grape jelly and grape juice. The flavor is so…..grapey.
When we get them in our farm share I’m happy to pop them in my mouth and eat them, skins, seeds and all. But even more fun is the chance to cook and bake with these amazing purple gems.
If you get just a pint or two of fresh concords, you can make a quick batch of Concord Grape Jam. Naturally this is the perfect jam for your next PB&J sandwich or, even better, PB&J Sandwich Cookies or PB&J Crumb bars.
If you get a big batch of concords, this pie is what you’ll want to make. In the late summer I do see concord grapes in our local market. If you see them, buy a bunch and bake this pie.
Ingredients
- Pie Crust for a 2 crust pie
- Concord grapes – Concords are “slip skin” grapes. Meaning, if you squeeze the grape the pulp will slip right out of the skin.
- Cornstarch – There’s just enough starch in the filling to thicken the grape pulp without making a pasty filling. Pre-cooking the filling ensures the starch is activated.
- Granulated sugar – Concord grapes are quite sweet and the filling doesn’t need a lot of sugar. I found 1 1/4 cups exactly enough. You can adjust to your taste between 1 cup and 1 1/2 cups.
- Vanilla beans – Reinforce the aroma and flavor of the grapes.
How to make Concord Grape Pie
- Slip the the grape pulp out of the skins and into a pan. Save the skins in a separate bowl.
- Puree the grape skins with water.
- Cook the grape pulp with a split vanilla bean until the flesh is very soft.
- Strain the cooked pulp to remove the seeds, then return it to the pan.
- Add the skins and cornstarch to the pulp. Bring the mix to a full boil to activate the cornstarch and thicken the filling..
- Use a small cutter to create the grape cluster design. I find the back end of a piping tip the perfect size.
- Work on a flexible cutting board to easily transfer the crust to the pie.
- Place the top crust on the pie, crimp the edges, brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
Recipe Tips
- The filling must be cooled before it’s poured into the unbaked pie shell. To quickly cool the filling you can spread it into a rimmed baking sheet and slide it in the freezer.
- To work ahead the dough can be made several days before. The shell can be rolled several hours or a day before assembling the pie.
- The filling can be made up to a day ahead.
- The pie must cool for at least 2 hours before serving or the filling will be runny.
Storage
The pie will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days. Do not refrigerate the pie or the crust will become soggy. Left over slices can be frozen. The crust will soften, but it will still taste ok. You can rewarm the slices briefly in the oven to re-crisp the crust.
The only thing better than a slice of this pie, is a slice of this pie with a big scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or Buttermilk Ice Cream.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.
Concord Grape Pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Perfect Pie Crust
- 2 ½ pounds Concord grapes (weight after stemming)
- 4 oz water (1/2 cup)
- 1 ½ oz cornstarch (¼ cup)
- 10 oz granulated sugar (1 ¼ cups)
- ½ vanilla bean (split)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Roll half the dough to line a 9" deep dish pie pan. Roll the other half of the dough to a 12" circle. Sprinkle a little flour over the circle and fold it in half. Sprinkle with flour again and fold in half again. Wrap the folded dough and set it into the lined pie pan. Refrigerate the pie dough while you make the concord grape filling. The dough can be rolled up to a day ahead.
- Separate the grape skins from the pulp, reserving both. In a food processor or blender, pulse the grape skins with 4 oz water until you have a chunky puree. Transfer the skins to a small bowl and stir in 1 ½ oz cornstarch. Set it aside while you prepare the pulp.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat cook the pulp with 10 oz granulated sugar, ½ vanilla bean and ¼ teaspoon table salt until soft, about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Run the grape pulp through a food mill or strainer to remove the seeds, pressing on the solids to get as much pulp as possible through the strainer.
- Return the strained pulp to the saucepan. Scrape the the seeds from vanilla bean and add them to the pulp.
- Bring the mixture to a full boil. Stir in the grape skin/cornstarch and cook until it returns to a full boil and begins to thicken. Transfer the pie filling to a large bowl and cool completely before assembling the pie. Refrigerate the pie filling until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead of baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F350 °F. Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and remove the top crust from the pan. Pour the grape filling into the pie plate. Unfold the dough round for the top crust. Use a small round cutter to cut a holes in the middle of the crust in the shape of a cluster of grapes. Use the tip of a small knife to cut a "stem" at the top of the cluster.
- Brush the edges of the bottom crust with egg white. Lay the top crust over the filling with the cluster design centered on the pie. Pinch the two crusts together to seal. Trim the excess dough and crimp the edges for an attractive crust. Brush the top of the pie with egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake until golden brown and the fruit in the middle of the pie is bubbling, about 55 minutes.
Equipment
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That is gorgeous and my grapes are ripe. I am torn between the jam and the pie. Sadly my kitchen is halfway through a reno so no cooking happening here. I would give your post 5 stars for inspiration, lol Will try soon and will rate then.
Do you grow your own Concord Grapes?