I was introduced to this pie by a friend who hails from upstate New York, where it’s one of many dishes that celebrate the grape harvest. The first time I made it, I knew: This is my very favorite pie. Its flaky, buttery crust encases lots of juicy grapes, with barely anything else added, so all the fresh flavor shines through. I like to do a fat lattice for this pie, but you can do any type of top crust.
Makes one 9-inch double-crust pie
Difficulty: Medium
Make Ahead and Storage: The pie can be baked up to 1 day ahead (any longer, and the crisp texture of the crust suffers, absorbing too much moisture from the filling). Store loosely covered at room temperature.
1. Roll out one disk of dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan (see For a double-crust pie for more details). Roll out the second disk as directed here and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the crusts while you prepare the filling.
2. Make the filling: Squeeze the pulp from the grapes into a large bowl, releasing it from the skins. Reserve the skins in another bowl. Transfer the pulp to a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over low heat, and simmer until the grapes have broken down and released their juices, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture into the bowl with the skins, pressing firmly to extract all of the juice. Cool completely.
3. Whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl. Stir the sugar mixture into the cooled grape juice, then stir in the vanilla. Pour the filling into the chilled bottom crust. Refrigerate the pie for 20 to 30 minutes or freeze for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 425°F / 218°C, preferably with a baking stone on the bottom rack.
5. Use the chilled top crust to make a Fat Lattice (fattice; see Other Lattice Styles). Trim away the excess dough from the lattice and/or fold it under the edge of the bottom crust. Crimp the edges with a fork (or as desired; see Make it Pretty: Crimping a Piecrust). Chill the pie for 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer or 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. Brush the top and edges of the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake the pie on the stone or bottom rack until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles up through the lattice, 40 to 45 minutes; watch closely toward the end of the baking time, and if the crust is browning too quickly, reduce the temperature to 375°F / 190°C.
7. Cool the pie completely (or very nearly so) before serving—this one is really juicy, so cooling is crucial to sliceability.
✻ Why It Works
This pie relies on plenty of cornstarch to help thicken it—the grapes hold a lot of juice, and without enough starch, the pie can be a juicy disaster. Unlike many fruits favored for pie, grapes have a relatively low pectin content, which means the primary thickening power needs to come from another ingredient, not from the fruit.
★ Pro Tip
Concord grapes have a teasingly short season, but I’ll be damned if I let that control how often I can make this delicious pie. I partially prep batches of the filling when the grapes are in season and freeze them for year-round use. Prepare the grapes as directed in step 2, then transfer the cooled mixture to a 1-quart canning jar, seal tightly, and freeze. When you’re ready to use, thaw and proceed with the recipe.