By Katie Gagne
I have so many tomatoes in my garden, and I love it! I can eat tomatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Unless you are crazy about these colorful little beauties like I am, you’ll often end up with more than you can eat.
Here is a great recipe that uses at least three pounds of sweet and savory tomatoes. I have seen quite a few recipes for tomato pies and tomato tarts. After quite a bit of experimenting, I came up with this delicious and simple dish that you can eat for any meal of the day.
TOMATO PIE
INGREDIENTS
Approximately 6 servings
- 1 9-inch pie crust.
- You can make your own or use a ready-made crust.
- 3-4 lbs. of tomatoes.
- You can use any size or variety. I use a combination of large heirloom and grape and cherry tomatoes. They come in so many colors and have such unique flavors that using a mixture of colors and varieties makes for a delicious dish.
- 3 tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 2 tablespoons Corn Meal
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 4 ounces Chevre Cheese Garlic and Herb
- 2 teaspoons Hot Sauce
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 3 ounces Crumbled Blue Cheese
- 8 ounces Shredded Farmer’s Cheese
- 8 ounces Shredded Swiss Cheese
- Another great part of this dish is you can customize for your own flavor preference or for what you happen to have on hand at home. Any type of shredded and crumbled cheese works well in this pie.
- ½ cup Finely Minced Herbs
- I use a combination of fresh Basil, Lemon Thyme, Oregano, and Chives. You can use any combination you prefer.
DIRECTIONS
Roll out your pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Make sure to crimp the edges for a pretty look. Set the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prep the tomatoes and make the filling.
Slice all the tomatoes into ¼ inch slices and place on a large baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with the 3 tablespoons of Kosher Salt and let sit. This both flavors the tomatoes and allows them to drain some of the moisture from them.
In a medium bowl, with a large spoon, combine the Chevre, Mayo, Hot Sauce, 1 Egg, Garlic, Salt, and Pepper. Stir until well combined. Add in all the cheeses and herbs and mix until combined.
Bring crust out and sprinkle the bottom with the Corn Meal.
Arrange 1/3 of the tomatoes in a single layer on the bottom of the crust. You can overlap the tomatoes slightly.
Spoon half of the cheese mixture over the top. This is thick so doing it in small spoonful’s works best.
Add another layer of tomatoes and then the rest of the mixture. You will finish with a third layer of tomatoes on top.
Use the remaining egg and scramble with a teaspoon of water.
With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on the crust. This will help it have a shiny, golden color.
Place the pie in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Reduce the over temperature to 375* and cover the pie loosely with foil to prevent the crust from browning too much. Continue to bake for approximately 30 more minutes, until the middle is set and not runny.
Remove from the oven and let sit to cool for at least 1 hour.
You can garnish with more fresh herbs if you like.
This tomato pie works as a great breakfast or brunch item and pairs wonderfully with a salad for lunch or dinner. It is also a terrific vegetarian option.
Find this column and others from the September 2023 issue here!
Katie Gagne
*Katie is an English teacher at Trinity High School by day and in her “spare” time runs her own at-home baking business, Sassy’s Sweets and Oh So Much More, specializing in gourmet cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and pastries. She can be reached at [email protected] or (440) 773-4459
