Tomato Pie
TOMATO PIE RECIPE
Growing up, there was a spot in our town that was both a home and gift shop and a darling little tea room that served up lunch and afternoon tea with a side of very bougie housewife/ladies-who-lunch vibes. I remember feeling like it was always such a special treat when we got to get all dressed up and go dine there. What exactly we were dining on I don’t much remember, but I can tell you one thing, I do remember their tomato pie. Because it was a gloriously decadent and delicious thing of beauty. In fact, we all loved it so much, somehow someone convinced them to give us the recipe. Which brings me here today, sharing my spin on the recipe with you. So shoutout to whoever managed to wrangle the recipe from them. You have them to thank for today’s delicious recipe.
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO PIE
Making tomato pie truly couldn’t be easier. It comes together in all of three simple steps-
STEP 1- Slice and salt the tomatoes.
The salt is crucial. Don’t skip it. It helps to draw out the moisture from the tomatoes before you place them on the pie and not IN the pie (aka it helps avoid a soggy pie).
STEP 2- Mix + Spread
Mix all your cheeses and seasonings, then spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pie crust.
STEP 3- Add the tomatoes + bake
Pat the tomato slices dry then arrange them on the cheese. Bake until all beautiful and bubbly and golden brown.
STEP 4- Cool + serve
Let it cool for just a few minutes (honestly this is the hardest part because it looks and smells so good that you’ll want to dive right in), then slice, serve and enjoy your life (and, you know, tomato pie).
THE BEST TOMATOES TO USE
The best tomatoes to use are the tomatoes that you have. Of course, I love heirlooms not only for how they taste but also for how they look, but any tomato will really do.
NOTES + SUBSTITUTIONS
This recipe may be simple but there are a few steps that are crucial to it’s success.
SALT THE TOMATOES- Salting the tomatoes helps to draw out the moisture beforehand instead of once they’re in the pie, which is key to avoid a watery pie and a soggy crust.
PATE BRISEE CRUST- Here’s the thing. Truly any pie crust will do. Homemade, premade, store made. But the absolute best option here is to use a pate brisee, or an all butter crust, with a few extra tablespoons of butter. Here’s why- since the tomatoes are juicy, we want to avoid any extra water anywhere we can. Hence the all butter pastry crust. With a few extra tablespoons of butter for good measure. I use this recipe and increase the butter to 10 tablespoons and sub one of the tablespoons of water for 1 tablespoon ice cold plain vodka.
TART PAN VS PIE DISH- I like to use a tart pan purely based on aesthetics. I just love how it looks. However, if you only have a pie pan, rest assured that that will do just fine.
MAYONNAISE- These days I’m pretty much a vegan mayo only kinda gal, however, I go back to the real stuff for this recipe. I’ve yet to try it with vegan mayonnaise as I think it will be too watery, so if you choose to go that route, do so at your own risk. Same with sour cream or ricotta cheese. I have yet to test with either but I’m sure both could work well if that’s what you have to work with. For now, it’s real deal mayo and only real deal mayo for me.
CHEESE- The mozzerella and parm combo are simple and approachable, however provolone or or a nice cheddar or even swiss cheese could easily be thrown into the mix as could asiago, pecorino or romano in place of the parm.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TOMATO PIE
As much as I love tomato pie, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s incredibly rich and decadent so when it comes to serving, keep your pairings light and simple. Think an herby green salad, a summery salad, a simple roasted vegetable, or maybe even just a glass of a crisp, dry white wine. The pie is the star of the show, after all, so you really doesn’t need much to help it shine.
TOMATO PIE
SERVES 6-8
INGREDIENTS
3 large or 4 medium heirloom tomatoes (about 1.5 pounds)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 cups grated mozzerella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese + more for topping
2 teaspoons calabrian chili paste (can use more or less depending on spice preferences)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1 pie crust of your choice (pate brisee preferred but any will do)
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice tomatoes into about 1/8-1/4” thick slices. Spread out in a single layer on a large plate, baking sheet or cutting board. Sprinkle generously with salt and set aside.
Line a 8-9” inch tart pan (or pie pan) with the crust. The crust should be between 1/8-1/4” thick. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is evenly mixed together.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread the cheese mixture evenly across the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Then pat the tomato slices dry with a paper towel and arrange them across the top of the cheese mixture.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the cheese and crust are golden brown and the tomatoes have cooked down. Feel free to sprinkle a little more parm on top for the last few minutes of baking.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. You can serve it as is or garnish it with a little extra parm and fresh basil before slicing and serving.
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ITEMS + INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
