Description
This Best Tomato Pie recipe is a delightful savory pie featuring layers of fresh tomatoes, onions, basil, and a generous blend of cheeses in a flaky pre-baked crust. Enhanced with mayonnaise and a touch of hot sauce, it’s perfect as a comforting lunch or a light dinner during tomato season.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 (9-inch) pie shell (homemade or store-bought)
Filling
- 3 to 4 large tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow or red onion (about 1/3 onion)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil
- 2 cups (8 ounces/225 g) grated cheese (combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack, or Gruyere or Mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Frank's Hot Sauce or Tabasco, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the oven rack in the center to ensure even baking.
- Prepare Pie Crust: For a store-bought crust, either follow package instructions for pre-baking or bake it in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. For a homemade crust, press it into the pie plate and freeze for 30 minutes. Then, insert a sheet of aluminum foil into the crust to support the sides, fill with pie weights like dry beans or rice.
- Pre-bake Homemade Crust: Bake the foil-lined crust with weights for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to vent, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden and fully pre-baked.
- Prepare Tomato Filling: Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt to draw out excess moisture. Drain and pat dry if necessary to prevent a soggy crust.
- Mix Cheese and Mayo: In a bowl, combine the grated cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce, chopped onions, and sliced basil. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and mix well.
- Assemble Pie: Layer the tomato slices evenly into the pre-baked crust. Spread the cheese and mayo mixture evenly over the tomatoes.
- Bake Pie: Place the assembled pie back into the oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese topping is bubbly and golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the pie to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving to let the filling set.
Notes
- To avoid a soggy crust, salt the tomato slices and let them sit to release excess moisture before assembling.
- You can customize the cheese blend to your preference; Gruyere and Mozzarella add distinct flavors.
- Use fresh basil for the best aromatic flavor, but dried basil can substitute in a pinch (reduce quantity accordingly).
- Adjust hot sauce quantity to your spice tolerance.
- For a crispier crust, consider blind baking the crust a little longer and using pie weights.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of pie)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
