CONCORD GRAPE TART in PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE CRUST

 makes one 9” square tart
 
Peanut Butter Cookie Crust (from Rose Levy Beranbaum)
 
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
½ cup smooth peanut butter (regular 'Skippy' or 'Jif'- not natural)
1½ tablespoons beaten egg (beat one large egg and measure 1½ tablespoons)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
 
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, soda and salt. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the sugars until fine. Add the cold butter cubes, then the peanut butter pulsing until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the 1½ tablespoons of beaten egg and vanilla and process just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture, pulsing just to combine. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, pat it into a square about 11” in diameter and ⅛” thick. Refrigerate the dough, well wrapped for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Butter and flour a 9” square tart pan with a removable bottom. Unwrap the dough and use the plastic wrap to flip it into the pan, and help press the dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. (If the dough becomes too soft, refrigerate it briefly.) Set the dough lined tart pan onto a baking sheet and set it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. (If you can’t fit it in the freezer, refrigerate the dough-lined pan for an hour.) Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tart shell (without weights) on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, just until golden. The dough will puff up then settle back down. Cool completely on a wire rack.
 
Concord Grape Tart filling (adapted from Irene Bouchard and Saveur)
 
(My observation: Separating grape skins from grape pulp is no more daunting than pitting cherries. Most fresh fruit requires a bit of patience in the prep; this is no exception. Remember to gently pinch the grapes as opposed to squeezing them.)
 
1¾ pounds of Concord grapes, rinsed, dried on paper towels, stems/leaves removed (about 4 cups)
½ cup granulated sugar
3-4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
pinch salt
2½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
 
Remove the skins of the grapes from the pulp by gently pressing the grapes between your thumb and index finger. Place the skins in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Place the pulp in a medium saucepan and add the strained juice from the skins. Put the skins in a large bowl and set aside. Cook the pulp and the juice from the skins over medium heat, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool. Place the cooked grape mixture into a fine mesh strainer set over the bowl of reserved skins. Use a rubber scraper to press on the cooked grapes to separate the seeds from the pulp. Discard the pits. In a small bowl, combine the sugars, salt and cornstarch; add this to the cooked grapes/skin mixture. Stir in the lemon juice. Transfer the filling to a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook the mixture over medium/low heat for about 15-20 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan constantly to prevent sticking. The mixture will thicken and the skins will soften. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let the filling cool a bit (about 20-30 minutes) before pouring it into the tart shell. Smooth the top with an offset spatula and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely before serving. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.