Savor Summer with a Southern Tomato Pie

We are in prime tomato season right now in North Carolina. In fact, I'm eating about one tomato a day. I love tomatoes. This is the best season to have a Southern tomato sandwich. For me, that's white bread, Duke's Mayo, a ripe NC tomato with some salt and pepper. Oh my gosh, that sandwich cannot be beaten.

Summer is also the best time to make a tomato pie. Tomato pies make a great side dish or even a main meal with a salad.

Southern Tomato Pie

There are several ways to do a tomato pie and a lot of times, the variation is in the cheese that you use.

Savory Southern Tomato Pie

(adapted from Southern Living, August 2011)

Puff Pastry (you can also use regular pie crust instead)

4 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 cup (4 oz) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

• 1. Preheat oven to 350º. 
• 2. Meanwhile, place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Let stand 45 minutes to an hour. Pat dry with paper towels. Stir together next 3 ingredients and 3/4 cup of cheese. 
• 3. Cut the puff pastry into a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. Prick the bottom and part way up the sides with a fork.
• 4. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from oven, and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over bottom of crust. Arrange tomato slices over cheese in crust; spread mayonnaise mixture over tomatoes.
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• 5. Bake at 350º for 34 to 37 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with whole basil leaves if desired.

I also use an alternate version of Southern Tomato Pie with onions, pepper, and different cheeses.  I also use a Pillsbury pie crust. 

Add 1/4 tsp of pepper and 1/2 cup of diced onions to the above list of ingredients. Use one cup of Cheddar Cheese and 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese rather than Parmesan cheese.

This recipe,, adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks from Edenton, North Carolina, uses a pie shell. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and bake crust for five minutes; reduce heat to 400 degrees. Remove from oven and arrange thick tomato slices in the shell. Mix salt, pepper, basil, and onion.  Sprinkle over tomatoes. Mix mayonnaise and cheese; spread on top. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing. 

You could even be adventurous, and use all three kinds of cheese. I guess it you really wanted you could add some bacon to the tomato pie as well or serve it on the side. Enjoy!