Seedless Grape Pie with Concord Grape Wine

Or
How to Reduce a Recipe When
You Have Less of a Major
Ingredient but
Want to
Make the Recipe
Anyway!

WARNING: There are over twenty steps to this but at least read on so
that if you are ever in a similar situation, you too can
MAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT ANYWAY!

This experiment began because
I have left-over organic red seedless grapes from

A sourdough starter experiment!
Some of the grapes were a little too ripe for eating-maybe-

But I just did not want to
throw them away!

Yes- I could eat them-but nothing creative in that!

Remembered a picture of a grape pie that I saw
in my files-SOMEWHERE!

Researched some more and found a recipe from the
Better Homes and Gardens site and decided
To adapt it!

So I write ADAPT because I knew that I did not have
Enough grapes from the volume called for-7 cups!

And I had another sweet wine rather than what is called for.

And I did not want to use flour as the thickener.

 SO- in order to remake the recipe so I could use the amount of grapes
That I actually have in my refrigerator,
I have to determine:

Step 1: How much of the grapes did the original recipe call for
And compare that-and do not freak out-mathematically-
to the amount that I have.

Step 2: Weigh one cup of the grapes which equals 5.5 ounces.

Step 3: Multiply 7 (cups) by 5.5 ounces because the recipe calls for 7 cups of
Grapes and that equals 38.5 ounces.

Step 4: Weigh the grapes that I have which equals 28 ounces.

Step 5: Divide what I have (28 ounces) by 38 ounces (what the original recipe called for) and that equals .736 or
In this case because the number is less than 1.0-this number is called a
Reduction Factor.

Step 6: Multiply each of the ingredients for the master recipe by .736 (reduction factor)
And you will get the weights and measurements for the new recipe.

With the help of my assistant, Paul, a chart that will help demonstrate the
Progression of the formula change has been included here

Step 7: Procedures that I sometimes modified from the original formula-
because of faster preparation with no consequences to result.
I cut the grapes in half using a scissors rather than a knife.
Worked fantastically!

Step 8: Measured all of ingredients.

1 Tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoon fresh cut sage.

Packed brown sugar.

Step 9: Preheated my calibrated oven to the equivalent of 350 degrees F.
(How and why to figure this is in another blog.)

Step 10: Mixed cornstarch, sage, and brown sugar together (using my hands to
crush and mix the sugar.)

The organic fresh sage is from my garden.

Mixture after using my hands to crush the brown sugar

And mix with the other ingredients.

Step 11: Mixed wine and grapes together and then added the dry mix to it and let sit 20 minutes.

The dry ingredients and the grape and wine mixtures combined.

Step 12: Rolled the dough for the bottom crust and put it into the pie pan.

I used my 1/8-inch Space Bars to determine dough thickness.

Step 13: After 20 minutes, strained the liquid from the grapes into a small saucepan.

Step 14: Cooked liquid until it thickened.

Step 15: Scraped the thickened liquid mixture into the bowl with the grapes and mixed all.

Step 16: Placed mixture into the pie crust lined pie pan.

Step 17: Rolled top crust-cut it one inch bigger than the pan (in this case 10 inches in diameter.)

Step 18: Folded top pastry under bottom pastry; flute crusts together.

Fluted crusts.

Step 19: Brush top crust all over with egg white mixed with the Tbsp. of water.

Step 20: Cut steam vents into the top crust.

Step 21: Wrapped 1 ½ inch wide strip of aluminum foil around the fluted edge of the pie crust.

Step 22: Placed pie onto a parchment lined sheet pan.

Step 23: Baked pie 25 minutes.

Step 24: Removed foil from the edge of the pie-CAREFULLY!

Step 25: Bake the pie 35 minutes more until you can see
The filling bubble at the steam vents.

You can see the filling bubbling-or get the idea!

Step 26: Let the pie cool 6 hours so that the filling can thicken.

My husband likes all with my handmade chocolate ice cream! Serves 8 -ish depending on the size of each piece.