Grape Pie

I needed more to do, you know. Cooking 3 meals a day, doing piles of laundry, trying to homeschool around cow surgery, chasing and eternally training twins, cleaning filthy floors,.....on and on, always feeling like i'm 10 steps behind. So i decided to make grape pie. That's right, grape pie. The kind where you hand squeeze each grape and then cook it, not to mention the dreaded pie crusts. What, you may ask, possessed me to do such a thing? Well, i'm a servant at heart, tender and kind, knowing that my beloved father loves nothing more than a good pie. Not buying it? Alright, you win. I made it as much for myself as for my father, although i DID also make it for him. I figured i'm already knee deep in grape juice, so i might as well throw myself over the edge. All i have to say is, the pie is worth it. Every slobbery, grapey bite. O my, o my, i just died and went to grape heaven. Here's the recipe if you want to join me. I dare you. Make that a double dare.



Concord Grape Pie I


Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9 inch pie

Ingredients

* 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
* 5 cups Concord grapes
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 pinch salt
* 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Wash grapes, and remove the skins. Save the skins. Place grape pulp in a large saucepan; mash a few at the bottom to release their juice. Cook over medium low heat until grapes come to a full boil. Remove pulp from heat, and press through a food mill to remove seeds. Combine pulp and skins in a large bowl. Stir in lemon juice.
2. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, flour, and salt. Stir into grape mixture. Pour filling into pastry crust, and dot with butter or margarine. Cover with second pastry shell. Flute edges, and cut little slits in the top crust for steam to escape.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in top crust. Cool.