Wednesday 30 September 2009

Grape Pie

When I saw Girlichef's grape pie recipe, a lightbulb went off over my head. We've got a couple of grape vines in the garden, and this year quite a lot of bunches have ripened. They are quite small and not very sweet - not too good for eating out of hand but I knew they would be just the thing for making a grape pie!
The technique of squishing the seeds out of the skins and then combining the strained pulp back in with the skins was a new one to me. It was a bit sticky and very satisfying ina messy sort of way - and I thought that it would be just the task to set a child to, if you had one to hand.
I followed the quantities and method pretty closely. No really, I did. I used bought puff pastry instead of home made shortcrust because I had some and I was feeling lazy. I added an extra spoonful of flour because my filling was looking really wet and juicy. I added a few cloves to the pulp when it was heating, so they infused a bit of warm spice into the mixture. Instead of melting the butter for the filling separately I just added it cold, and counted on the heat of the pulp to melt it (which it did). And for the topping, I did a rubbed-in crumble topping and added some ground almonds to it, instead of the melted streusel topping with slivered almonds on top.

It was a revelation! We ate it just warm (and then cold for breakfast) and totally plain, without cream or icecream or anything and it was absolutely gorgeous. I have no idea why grape pie is not as famous as apple pie. Somehow the squeezed out skins plump up to juicy deliciousness and add just the slightest tanin bitterness to the sweet filling. And fortunately there are enough grapes on the vine for me to make another.

19 comments:

HH said...

Oh! That looks and sounds wonderful!! I have never heard of/would have thought of grape pie - but I think I will have to give it a go!

mscrankypants said...

I'd never heard of a grape pie but now I've seen and heard marvellous things about one, I'm going to bribe HH into making one and Fat Couriering it to me. It looks amazing without accompaniments but I think chilled custard would be yummy with it.

I like your hunter/gatherer/gardener label :-).

Alicia Foodycat said...

HH - it was so good! Even Paul liked it.

Cranky - I am sceptical about custard with pies.

Unknown said...

This looks AMAZING! I bought the nicest grapes from the farmers market the other day, but I think I overdid it with the quantities. so I will try to make it this week before they go bad.

Heather said...

yum!!! that looks delicious!

kat said...

Wow, I've never heat of grape pie but after your glowing review I want to try it

Alicia Foodycat said...

Johanna - you definitely have to make this!

Heather - oh it was.

Kat - oh good! I thought it was some American thing that you all knew about and were keeping from us.

Heather S-G said...

It turned out beautifully!!! I'm so glad you like it...and I know what you mean...why is this such a well-hidden gem of a pie??? It's so oddly addictive! :D

George Gaston said...

I have never tried a Grape Pie, but after reading about yours I am definitely going to give it a try. I like your additions to the crumble topping, too.

Many thanks for sharing this unique pie...

NKP said...

I have never had anything like that before, sounds wonderful!

Sam said...

This looks amazing!

I have a grape vine in my garden too, this looks like the perfect way to use the grapes which are a bit too sour to eat raw.

Unknown said...

First time here....Never had a grape pie b4...yours have come out superb..very nice..do hop in our blog sometime..

maybelle's mom said...

i love that picture of the prebaked pie. and the final product looks delicious.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Heather - completely addictive.

George - everyone should make it!

Natashya - get yourself some grapes

Sam - do it now before the frosts start!

A2Z thanks for stopping by.

MM - thanks! I was happy with those photos.

Bettina Douglas said...

did the light bulb go on or off?
Seemed pretty bright to me.

Why not custard?

Alicia Foodycat said...

Mother - off like a flash bulb! I like custard on its own, not so much with cakes and things.

hungryandfrozen said...

This looks AMAZING. Will have to try it one day. Homemade grapes are so much better than the flavourless shop bought ones...I have no idea why grapes in shops don't actually resemble the grapes that you grow!

Peter M said...

An unusual pie ingredient but the result is fantastic...would love to try this!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Laura - I was just so happy that the grapes ripened this year!

Peter - you'd love it.

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