Southern Tomato Pie
Servings 6 - 8
Equipment
- 9-Inch Pie Dish
- Colander
- Baking Sheet
- Large skillet
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 premade pie crust
Filling:
- 12 vine-ripened tomatoes cored, seeded, & cut into 1/2-inch dice, divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme leaves removed
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 sweet yellow onion sliced thinly
- ⅓ cup fresh basil chopped
Topping:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup Fontina grated
- ⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 1 heirloom tomato sliced & patted very dry with paper towels
- Fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the crust by transferring one pre-made pie dough to a 9-inch pie dish.
- Flute the edges with your fingers. Place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line the crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice.
- Place it in the oven and bake on a lower oven rack for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove the foil and weights; bake 3-6 minutes longer or until the bottom is golden brown.
- Cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.
- Make the filling by tossing HALF the diced tomatoes with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar.
- Set them over a colander to drain in the sink for at least an hour while you prepare other steps in the recipe.
- Place the other half of the diced tomatoes on a baking sheet.
- Toss with the olive oil and fresh thyme leaves, then season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, tossing to coat evenly.
- Place into the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes, until dry and slightly browned.
- Remove from the oven; set aside to cool.
- Make the caramelized onions while the tomatoes are draining in the sink and the others are roasting in the oven.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized.
- If the onion gets dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan, scrape up the over-browned bits, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. This will take about 45 minutes.
- Prepare the topping by combining the mayonnaise, Fontina, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, then season with freshly cracked pepper to taste; mix well.
- Prepare the pie by combining the drained tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onion, and fresh basil in a bowl; mix until well combined.
- Pour into the prepared and cooled pie crust.
- Spoon the topping evenly over the filling.
- Top with a few slices of heirloom tomatoes that you've patted very dry with paper towels.
- Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the cheese is bubbling and starting to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Top with fresh basil before slicing and serving. Enjoy!