Concord Grape Pie; pie

Ingredients

Some friends spent some time in the northeast and loved this pie!  She shared this recipe, but we weren’t to fond of it

6 cups Concord grapes (about 2 pou nds or 2 quarts)

2 Tablespoons instant tapioca

2/3 cup sugar

Your choice of pie crust

1. Wash the grapes.

2.  Slip the skin off the grapes.. Gently squeeze the grapes until the green pulp pops our and separates from the skin.  Put the pulp in a sauce pan andthe grapes skins in a separate bowl.

3.  Place the saucepan with the pulp on medium heat and bring to boiling.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for             Minutes.  The pulp should break down and the seeds should start floating to the top.

4.  Put the boiled pulp through a colander too remove seeds ( or use a nut bag or cheesecloth) Put the pulp in the same bowl as the grape skins.

5.  Add the tapioca and sugar to the bowl of grape skins and grape pulp and stir well.

6.  Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour to allow it to gel.

7.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

8.  Fill pie crust top with a floating crust or late evening or cut vent hoes

9.  If you like brush pie crust with an egg wash 

10.  Put a cookie sheet under the pie in the oven because filling tends to bubble over the edges of the pie plate.

11.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes then check the edges and cover them with a pie shield or foil if they are brown.  Continue to bake until the middle of the crust in light brown about 30 minutes

Mile High Lemon Meringue Pie

 The Meringue in this pie is not typical. It is very smooth and even those who don’t like meringue like this .

Lemon Filling:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup lemon juice (6 lemons)

1/2 cup water - if you want tart pie use 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 teaspoon table salt

8 large egg yolks - reserve 4 whites for meringue

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon zest

3Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 9 inch pie crust, baked and cooled.

For the filling: Whisk  sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch and salt together in a large saucepan until cornstarch is dissolved.  Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until mixture becomes translucent and begins to thicken, about 5 min. Whisk in yolks until combined.  Stir in lemon zest and butter.  Bring to simmer and stir constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 2 minutes.  Strain through fine-mesh strainer into pie shell and scrape filling off underside of strainer.  Place plastic wrap directly on surface and chill 2 hours to 1 day

MERINGUE:  This is a smoother more delectable meringue.

1/2 cup water

1 cup of sugar

4 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cream of tar tar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Adjust rack to middle and heat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine water and sugar in small saucepan.  Bring to vigorous boil over medium-high heat.  Once syrup comes to rolling boil, cook 4 minutes (mixture will become slightly thickened and syrupy) Remove from heat and set aside while beating whites.

With electric mixer, beat egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute.  Add salt and cream of tarTar and beat. Gradually increasing speed to medium-high, until whites hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes.  With mixer running SLOWLY pour hot syrup into whites.  Add vanilla and beat until meringue has cooled and becomes very thick and shiny, 5 to 9 minutes.

Mound meringue over filling, making sure meringue touches edges of crust.  Use spatula to create peaks all over meringue.  Bake until peaks turn golden brown.  About 6 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature.  Serve.

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