While visiting my boyfriend’s family in N.C., his mom made us a homemade tomato pie. It was a delicious, savory pie and was exactly the kind of southern food I had been craving. It was also a great way to showcase her beautiful, homegrown summer tomatoes.
As a preliminary matter, I must tell you that tomato pie is traditional, southern cooking at its best (tastewise) and worst (healthwise). This recipe includes the holy trinity of southern ingredients- shortening (pie crust), mayonnaise, and cheese. The taste is incredible, but I don’t even want to know how much fat and calories are in this dish. That said, it’s ok to eat a dish like this from time to time. The best way to eat it is to serve it as a small side accompaniment to a healthier dish, like a fresh green salad. I ate it on the side of grilled fish and steamed veggies-not as the main part of my meal. So, I was able to enjoy the flavor without feeling like a glutton. It was a special treat and special times call for special treats.
Ingredients:
one 9 inch pie shell
4 or 5 medium tomatoes peeled, sliced and drained (use a paper towel to remove excess moisture)
3 spring onions chopped
chopped basil (optional)
1 ½ cups extra sharp cheddar chees (grated)
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions: Bake piecrust according to directions and cool. Next, cover the bottom of pie shell with sliced tomatoes.
Salt and pepper tomatoes and sprinkle with basil and onions. Then, in a small bowl, combine cheese and mayo. Cover tomatoes with cheese mix and spread over entire pie.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Let cool, slice and serve. Makes 10 to 12 slices depending on how small you cut them.
This dish is the ultimate summer comfort food and it is CHEAP to make. I think it would be interesting to “healthify” this dish by highlighting the tomatoes rather than all the mayo and cheese. Perhaps, in the future, I’ll create a healthier version to share.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Love this! My tomato plants have been super bountiful this year and I don’t know how many more tomatoes I can cook with or give away, but now I have one more idea as to what I can do with them! Making this tonight!
mmm…i LOVE tomato pies!
Oh my… That looks amazing. I’ll have to try this out.
My cholesterol level jumped just looking at that!
… so yeah I’m totally making one soon
Great photos! It looks like the tomato pie could jump off the page and into my mouth! Oh, wishful thinking…
What a cute idea; and it’s great that it’s affordable, as well.
Thanks!!!Great idea.
Wow, this just blew my mind. I had no ideas that you could combine cheese, tomatoes and pie crust to create something so magnificent. This recipe is just dying to be made over by Cooking Light though and I think it would be pretty easy to do!
I thought that was going to be pimento cheese spread on top. Either way I am THERE!