Too-Good Tomato Pie

recipe & photo by Sidney Fry MS, RD

Tomato therapy is a thing, or at least it should be. There are few things better than a just-picked tomato; it’s one simple ingredient that can totally transform a dish. I love that tomato season lingers here in the South. Big fat heirlooms are available well into football season and sometimes even early fall.

When I’m not simply salt-and-peppering them by the slice, I like to tuck them into a pie crust and drizzle with an herb-packed custard. This recipe is simple and fuss-free with a crisp bottom crust and a delicately creamy filling that glorifies those prized tomatoes.

The crust couldn’t be simpler: Just toss the ingredients into a food processor, pulse and press directly into the pie plate. It’s intentionally crumbly so that each creamy, tomato-packed bite has a bit of nutty, crunchy crust clinging to it.

A pop of sharp Gruyere packs a salty, umami-rich punch in the creamy filling that holds layers of fresh tomatoes brushed in a basil and garlic infused oil. It’s pretty much perfection in a pie pan. It’s also super simple and perfect to serve when entertaining friends on a weekend or between the chaos of back-to-school sports.

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (about 5 ½ ounces)
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons ice water

Pie

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, additional basil for topping
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup shredded aged Gruyere cheese
  • 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-inch slices
  • Fresh basil leaves

 

Directions

To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until combined.

Combine oil and 3 tablespoons ice water in a small bowl. With processor on, slowly add oil mixture through food chute; process until dough is crumbly. Sprinkle dough into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate coated with cooking spray.

Press dough into an even layer in bottom and up sides of dish. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 400°.

To prepare pie, combine oil, basil, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Combine half and half, mayonnaise and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Arrange half of tomato slices in a circular pattern over crust, slightly overlapping. Brush with half of oil mixture. Sprinkle with half of cheese.

Repeat with remaining tomatoes, oil and cheese. Pour custard over and around tomatoes.

Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil.

Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.

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