Grape Hull Pie (South)

Wash 900g muscadine grapes thoroughly under cool running water. Hold each grape over a medium bowl, squeeze firmly to pop the inner pulp and seeds into the bowl, setting the thick, purple hulls aside in a separate bowl. Discard any oversoft or blemished hulls. This prep takes approximately 15 minutes at a steady working pace.

Transfer the collected grape pulp and seeds to a small 1.5L saucepan over medium heat (stovetop dial set to 5/10). Bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula, until pulp breaks down completely into a liquid. Pour the hot pulp through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof bowl, pressing firmly to push all soft pulp through, leaving hard, bitter seeds behind to discard.

Return the strained pulp to the saucepan, add the reserved grape hulls. Whisk 200g granulated sugar, 24g all-purpose flour, 1.5g kosher salt, and 0.5g ground cinnamon together in a small bowl first to prevent lumps, then stir the dry mix into the pan along with 15ml fresh lemon juice. Stir fully to combine, set over medium-low heat (stovetop dial 4/10), and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hulls are fork-tender and the filling thickens to a loose jam consistency. Remove from heat, stir in 28g cubed unsalted butter until fully melted, then let the filling cool for 15 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Roll one 9-inch pie crust to an even 12-inch circle, approximately 3mm thick, then carefully lay it into a 9-inch glass pie dish, pressing it gently against the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Trim any overhanging crust to a uniform 1-inch edge around the dish rim. Pour the cooled grape filling evenly into the crust-lined dish, spreading it smooth with a spatula.

Roll the second 9-inch pie crust to an even 11-inch circle, 3mm thick, then drape it gently over the top of the grape filling. Trim overhanging top crust to match the 1-inch bottom edge, then fold the two crust edges together, crimping tightly with your fingers or a fork to create a sealed rim. Cut 4 evenly spaced 1-inch slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking. Whisk 1 large egg with 15ml whole milk, then brush the entire top crust and crimped edge evenly with the egg wash for a golden finish.

Place the pie (on its rimmed baking sheet to catch bubbly drips) in the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven, bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until the crust is a deep, even golden brown and thick purple filling bubbles actively through the top slits. Remove the pie from the oven, transfer it to a metal wire rack, and let it cool completely for 2 full hours at room temperature before slicing to allow the filling to set.