One of the first fall desserts ever put on the menu at Ssäm Bar was a riff on the poor man’s pb & j: peanut butter, Concord grape jelly, and a saltine panna cotta (page 191). We loved the Ritz crunch crust so much that the following fall, we presented the pb & j in a more straightforward pie, showcasing Concord grapes in another light, with Ritz crust bringing the same salty, starchy component as the saltine panna cotta.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 1 (10-inch) pie; serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oven to 275°F.
Step 2
Press the Ritz crunch into a 10-inch pie tin. Using your fingers and the palms of your hands, press the crunch in firmly, making sure to cover the bottom and sides evenly and completely.
Step 3
Put the tin on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. The Ritz crust should be slightly more golden brown and slightly deeper in buttery goodness than the crunch you started with. Cool the Ritz crunch crust completely; wrapped in plastic, the crust can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Step 4
Scatter the peanut butter nougat over the bottom of the pie crust and then gently press it down to form a flat layer. Freeze this layer for 30 minutes or until cold and firm. Scoop the sorbet onto the nougat and spread it into an even layer. Put the pie in the freezer until the sorbet firms up, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 5
Spoon the Concord grape sauce onto the top of the pie and, working quickly, spread it evenly over the sorbet. Pop the pie back into the freezer until ready to slice and serve. Wrapped (gently) in plastic, the pie can be frozen for up to 1 month.
