Tomato Pie

[pistolabella]

I'm not sure if anyone on the forum is familiar with the regionally famous Grainger County Tomato, but its nearly time for them to start popping up at the stores and roadside produce trucks in East TN. Since I can remember, my family has eaten fresh sliced tomatoes with meals throughout the summer. What are some favorite tomato recipes you have? I for one would love a good tomato pie recipe; I've had excellent tom. pie in the low country (especially in Edisto, SC) but it isn't an East TN thing, really. Other produce I live for in the summer is half-runner beans, silver queen corn, Georgia bells (peaches). What about you folks?

[Toliver]

...I for one would love a good tomato pie recipe...

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I am in complete agreement. There's a woman who sells baked goods in our local farmer's market and during the summer she'll make wonderful tomato pies. They seem simple enough but I wouldn't want to try my hand at them unless I had a recipe to guide me. Without one, I'm more likely to end up with a deep dish pizza pie, which won't be a bad thing but it won't be my intended desitnation, so to speak.

[Mayhaw Man]

I for one would love a good tomato pie recipe;

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Axe, and ye shall receive...

Brooksie's Tomato and Basil Pie

It's pretty swell. Addictive, actually. Enjoy.

[racheld]

Brooks,

This is almost "Miss Mimi's" vegetable pie, which held thin-sliced yellow squash and zucchini (both sauteed until nearly tender in a bit of oil or butter, before layering with the tomatoes, basil, cheese, etc.).

I remember a day that I was visiitng with my parents in my Mom's last days, and Miss Mimi came in the door with an enormous basket over her arm. It was big enough to hold two 10" pieplates, the whole thing wide as a donkey-pannier. The pies were absolutely wonderful, with that creamy golden topping over the sweet, tender vegetables.

My two sons who still lived near my parents both came to dinner, as they did every night I was there, and we ate in the dining room to befit such an elegant repast. My sons, both of whom do the cooking for their families, have made the recipe over and over, as have I. It goes over so well at Deer Camp, they make four at a time.

I thought OP might be requesting one of the truly sweet pies---those aren't in my repertoire, cause sugary tomatoes don't sound very tasty. (Now a sweet green tomato pickle is another story).

[djyee100]

Not a Southern tomato pie, but a California/Mediterranean tomato pie here. No good tomatoes available for another couple months or so, but now that you've reminded me of this recipe, I can hardly wait!

TOMATO & CHEESE GALETTE

2 medium onions, about 1/2 lb

2 TB olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

8 basil leaves

1 large red ripe tomato, about 3/4 lb

1/4 lb St George cheese, mild white cheddar, or Cantal

pastry for one 9" piecrust

1 egg

1 TB milk

Thinly slice the onions & cook slowly over medium-low heat with the olive oil & 2 basil leaves until the onions are soft & caramelized. Add salt to taste. This step may take up to half an hour. Meanwhile, slice the tomato into 1/8" slices and let drain in a colander or on paper towels. Crumble or grate the cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To assemble, roll out the pastry into a circle. Leaving a border of 1 1/2", sprinkle half the cheese on the dough. Spread on the onion mixture. Tear the remaining basil leaves into large pieces, & add them on top, followed by the sliced tomato. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Fold up the edges of the dough to form a galette. Mix the egg with the milk, and brush the egg wash on the dough.

Bake for about 45 mins, until golden brown.

Edited May 7, 2008 by djyee100 (log)

[racheld]

OOOOOOO, Donna!

Pomidori Torta Rustica!! Memories. . .

[pistolabella]

I for one would love a good tomato pie recipe;

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Axe, and ye shall receive...

Brooksie's Tomato and Basil Pie

It's pretty swell. Addictive, actually. Enjoy.

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Oh that sounds fantastic.

[djyee100]

I didn't wait for high summer tomato season after all.

Some decent-looking slicer tomatoes showed up at the market, and I made the Tomato & Cheese Galette.

Delicious when served with a green salad and vinaigrette. Ah, summer!

[racheld]

To parrot the late, great Richie Valens:

OHHHHH, Donna!

[Doodad]

Fried green tomatoes. I have some in the fridge for tonight.

[racheld]

Fried green tomatoes.  I have some in the fridge for tonight.

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You can just keep smug remarks like that to yourself

At least until we have some.

[hazardnc]

I have been making a version of Laurie Colwin's tomatoe pie recipe since it came out in Gourmet magazine years ago. Tomato pie is one of those summer dishes that my husband and I dream about in the middle of winter.

I am going to give the original recipe, but I have made some changes over the years. Firstly, after conquering Thomas Keller's killer quiche recipe, I now use his quiche shell recipe rather than the biscuit crust that follows. You end up with a single-crust pie, but the flavor is still wonderful. Additionally, it is important to let the tomatoes drain on paper towels for about 30 minutes to cut down on soggy crust problems.

Keller's Bibb Lettuce Salad with House Vinaigrette goes especially well with the Tomato Pie. I think I know what I am having for dinner tonight!

2 pounds homegrown tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 cups flour

1 stick butter

4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup (or thereabouts) milk

1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Chopped basil, chives or scallions to taste

Make the biscuit-dough crust by bleding flour, butter, baking powder and milk either by hand or in a food processor.

Roll out half the dough on a floured surface and line a 9-inch pie plate with it. (This dough is thicker than a normal pie crust.)

Layer the tomatoes on top, scarttering with scallions and/or herbs.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheddar over the tomatoes. Thin mayonnaise with lemon juice and drizzle on top, followed by remaining cheddar.

Roll out remaining dough, fit it over the filling and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal them.

Cut several steam vents in the top crust and bake the pie at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

This is the version using Keller's quiche shell recipe

[andiesenji]

If you want something sweet, instead of savory, you might try one of my old "down-home" favorites.

Green tomato pie.

It may be a regional Kentucky specialty, however I have met someone from Georgia whose grandmama also made green tomato pie and "pie-pockets," which I think were more like a turnover, from his description, baked instead of fried. They also sounded like they were made with a type of puff pastry instead of pie dough.

[SueJen]

Hi, I'm new and also live in East Tenn

We had relatives from Holland in recently and they prepared a tomato pie for us. She started with puff pastry, which she spread with chopped sundried tomatoes in oil. Then she covered it with fresh chopped tomatoes, then added a layer of crumbled goat cheese, and sprinkled fresh herbs over that. She baked it until the pastry was done. It was heavenly! Very simple, but also elegant.

[pistolabella]

I have been making a version of Laurie Colwin's tomatoe pie recipe since it came out in Gourmet magazine years ago. Tomato pie is one of those summer dishes that my husband and I dream about in the middle of winter.

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THAT looks and sound quite similiar to what I had in mind. I'm going to make it.

[pedie]

I am going to piggy back on this thread because someone asked what our favorite tomato recipes are. I think that tomato pie looks fantastic.

For some reason my 7 tomato plants are very happy in their location this year and I have picked over 623 tomatoes. I have done everything from making fresh tomato sauce and freezing it to use in later months.

I have made batches of fresh gazpacho with a wonderful recipe that incorporates pureed fresh red and green bell peppers, cucumbers, carrot, red onion and tomatoes, leaving some of the chopped vegetables whole to be scattered in the soup. It also has corn kernals and avocado...wonderful on a summer evening.

My latest use has been with the tomatoes from my one San Marzano plant. I have been roasting them in the oven with EVOO, chopped garlic, chopped basil and parsley, salt and pepper and roast until they are beginning to carmelize. then I cool slightly, rough chop them and toss them with spaghetti. I add a little butter to the hot spaghetti to help it hold together, grated cheese and....mangia bene!!

[pedie]

I didn't wait for high summer tomato season after all.

Some decent-looking slicer tomatoes showed up at the market, and I made the Tomato & Cheese Galette.

Delicious when served with a green salad and vinaigrette. Ah, summer! 

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This looks fantastic! I went back to read the posted recipe earlier in this thread. Is your crust a regular pie crust???

[pedie]

  I was hoping it wouldn't call for broth or stock.   

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I think this will be perfect for you. As I said, you can adjust the amount of all the ingredients to your own taste. What you send up with is a luscious puree of clilled vegetables with delightful little chunks of veggie that burst when you chew! Sorry I don't have a photo.

[PopsicleToze]

I for one would love a good tomato pie recipe;

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Axe, and ye shall receive...

Brooksie's Tomato and Basil Pie

It's pretty swell. Addictive, actually. Enjoy.

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Oh that sounds fantastic.

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Ditto!

But one question. Brooks -- the recipe says to add the cheeses, but the only cheese I saw mentioned was mozz. Do you just use the mozz or do you add anything else?

Thanks

[djyee100]

Some decent-looking slicer tomatoes showed up at the market, and I made the Tomato & Cheese Galette.

This looks fantastic! I went back to read the posted recipe earlier in this thread. Is your crust a regular pie crust???

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The piecrust is my adapted version of the tart dough recipe in Judy Rodgers' Zuni Cafe Cookbook. (JR uses high-quality salted butter & no extra salt.)

BASIC RICH TART DOUGH

(for one 9" piecrust)

8 TB (1 stick) unsalted frozen butter

1 cup (4 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

ice water

At least 2-3 hrs before baking, or up to 1 day ahead:

Cut the frozen butter into pats of butter. Place the butter, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Break up the butter into marble-size (approx 1/2" size) pieces with your fingers. Eventually the butter will warm from your fingers and this job will feel like fun. That's when you should stop, because you're probably starting to make the butter pieces too small. Mix up the butter pieces well with the flour and salt. Add in enough ice water until the dough pulls together in a ball. The dough will be streaky with butter--that's OK.

Form the dough into a 3/4" thick disk and wrap well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hrs; overnight is better. Let the dough warm at room temperature briefly before rolling out. When the dough still feels firm but you can indent it with your finger, that's when it's ready to roll out. Roll out the dough as you usually do for piecrust. Be steady but quick before the butter softens too much.

[Mayhaw Man]

I for one would love a good tomato pie recipe;

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Axe, and ye shall receive...

Brooksie's Tomato and Basil Pie

It's pretty swell. Addictive, actually. Enjoy.

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Oh that sounds fantastic.

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Ditto!

But one question. Brooks -- the recipe says to add the cheeses, but the only cheese I saw mentioned was mozz. Do you just use the mozz or do you add anything else?

Thanks

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Just the mozz. It's funny. I'm making this tomorrow to feed some folks for an early breakfast before they go down to slay dragons at the Great American Seafood Cookoff. Got some great tomatoes today and paid a stupid amount of money for some fresh cheese. Looking forward to it. Figs and cream, tomato pie, serious coffee, and biscuits. Hard to beat that. The figs are always iffy, though. The damned grackels are eating my giant fig out of house and home. Living in NOLA, shotgun firing is discouraged, but I'm just about ready to break the rules. My pellet gun just can't get the job done fast enough. I hate those birds.

[pedie]

The piecrust is my adapted version of the tart dough recipe in Judy Rodgers' Zuni Cafe Cookbook. (JR uses high-quality salted butter & no extra salt.)

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Thank you so much. I actually made the original recipe tonight and got raves! But I used a regular pie crust. I used my Momotaro Japanese tomatoes and a Vermont white cheddar cheese. It was wonderful. I will try this crust next time. I liked the picture of the texture.

thank you.