It’s late July and the local farmer’s markets in the Bay Area are overflowing with summer’s bounty. I don’t usually have a go to list from week to week (depends what is on the meal plan!), but one staple from June until at least late September are tomatoes. Only three out of my five family members even like tomatoes but that doesn’t stop me from making all things tomato. And as it turns out- it doesn’t stop five out of five from eating dishes with tomatoes in them. Funny how that works! So many ways to use them: fresh cream of tomato soup, tomato salsa, gazpacho, tomato sauce… but my all time favorite way to eat ripe summer tomatoes is in Tomato Pie. This is my childhood in a pie shell.
Recently a farmer selling me tomatoes asked what I was planning on doing with the tomatoes and because July 4th was just days away- Tomato Pie was definitely on the holiday menu! It’s a summer staple.
There are a few but critical easy steps to ensure a delicious tomato pie!
Step 1:
Roll out dough into a 9″ pie dish and prick all over with fork. This can be store bought- Trader Joe’s has a decent one or my favorite is an egg and butter based Pâte Brisé that is very easy to work with.
Step 2: Blind bake
Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.
Step 3
While the crust is baking, slice tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze to remove some juices. Place tomatoes on a baking rack and salt both sides.
Step 4:
Remove parchment paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Let sit while the crust is baking and you prepare the topping.
Step 5:
Lay the drained tomatoes in the pie shell, overlapping as needed. Fill in gaps with cherry tomato halves.
Step 6:
Sprinkle fresh basil and chive over the tomatoes.
Step 7:
Gently dollop cheese/mayo mixture on top of seasoned tomatoes and press lightly.
Step 8:
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm or room temperature.
I hope you love this as much as I do!
Cheers
~Christina
Tomato Pie
This savory pie is the best of summer. Ripe, in season tomatoes seasoned with fresh herbs sit in a flaky crust with a cheesy topping. What's not to love?
Ingredients
- 1 9" pie dough
- 3-4 medium tomatoes thickly sliced
- handful cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 tbsp fresh basil julienned
- 1/4 cup chives minced
- 2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
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Roll out pie dough into 9" pie dish and prick all over with fork. Line pie dough with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden.
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While crust is baking, prepare the tomatoes by giving them a gentle squeeze to remove some seeds and juices. Place tomatoes on a baking rack and salt both sides. Let sit while you prepare the topping.
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For the topping: Combine cheese, mayo, scallions, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.
-
Lay the drained tomatoes in the pie shell, overlapping as needed. Fill in gaps with cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle herbs evenly over tomatoes.
-
Gently dollop cheese/mayo mixture on top of seasoned tomatoes and press lightly.
-
Bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served warm or room temperature.
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