Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott & Leigh Beisch

Author:Nancie McDermott & Leigh Beisch [McDermott, Nancie & Beisch, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9780811869928
Publisher: IB Dave's Library
Published: 2010-09-01T10:00:00+00:00

Muscadine Grape Hull Pie

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

Sweet heavenly days! This is a pie from the past that belongs in the present and future! profoundly purple with the color from the thick, pungent hulls of Muscadine grapes, this pie’s sweet flavor is memorable and pure. Muscadine grapes are an American original, native to the wild woods of the Atlantic seaboard and over the appalachian mountains. Southerners have never been at a loss as to what to do with such natural bounty, eating them out of hand, cooking them down into jellies and syrups, fermenting their juices into wine, and capturing their glory in this old-timey pie. You can use deep reddish colored Muscadines, tawny golden-green scuppernongs, or even Concord grapes—a northern cousin that is available more widely as a commercial crop. You’ll find scuppernongs and Muscadines in eastern and southern farmers’ markets, farm stands, and some supermarkets for a short window in the early fall. Buy some, eat them up, and cook them down, to enjoy through the winter in the traditional way.

PASTRY FOR A 9-INCH DOUBLE-CRUST PIE (STORE-BOUGHT OR SEE BASIC PIECRUSTS)

¾ CUP SUGAR

¼ CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

¼ TEASPOON SALT

5 CUPS MUSCADINE GRAPES (ABOUT 2 POUNDS), RINSED

1 TABLESPOON FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE

3 TABLESPOONS COLD BUTTER, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES

Heat the oven to 400 degrees R Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate the remaining dough.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and salt, and stir with a fork to mix well. Set out a medium bowl and a medium saucepan.

Squeeze the grapes over the saucepan, dropping the pulpy, seed-filled grapes into the pan and placing their thick, sturdy skins or hulls into the medium bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the saucepan and place it over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and cook the grape pulp until softened and shiny, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked grape pulp to a strainer and place it over the bowl of grape hulls. Press the grapes through the strainer, pushing the softened pulp into the bowl with the hulls while extracting the large, round seeds. Use the back of a large spoon to get as much pulp as possible. Discard the seeds and transfer the hulls and pulp back to the saucepan. Cook them over medium heat to soften the hulls, 5 minutes more. Add the sugar mixture and lemon juice to the grapes and stir to mix everything well. Pour the filling into the piecrust. Sprinkle the small bits of butter over the grape filling, distributing it evenly. Wet the rim of the bottom piecrust, to help seal it.

Roll the remaining dough into a 10-inch circle and cover the filling. Trim away the extra pastry extending beyond the rim of the pie pan. Crimp the edges firmly, or press them down with the back of a fork, working your way around the edge of the pie to seal the crust well. Use a sharp knife to cut eight slits in the top crust, to allow steam to escape and fruit juices to bubble up as the pie cooks.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.