Grape Pie

Do you have grapes in your back yard? I did when I lived in Zionsville, Pennsylvania.

3 cups Concord grapes
1 cup sugar
3 Tb. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tb. butter
1 Tb. lemon juice
Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie OR
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell and crumbs

CRUMB MIXTURE:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firm butter

Rinse, drain and stem grapes. Slip skins from grapes and chop skins in small pieces.
This job can be done in blender or Cuisinart. Set skins aside.

Place the pulp in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes or until seeds are loosened from pulp.
Do not add any water to cook pulp.
While pulp is hot, sieve to remove seeds. Discard seeds, set strained pulp aside.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
Blend in grape pulp and skins.
Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
Blend in butter and lemon juice. Cool mixture. Turn into pastry shell.

Top of Pie: Before baking cover with a top crust, strips of pastry or combine crumb mixture and sprinkle on top of pie.

For double-crust pie, bake pie in preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes more.

If using crumbs bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

JACQUELINE'S COOKBOOK