Tomato Pie
CHEESY HEIRLOOM TOMATO + BASIL PIE
first published 9/11/23; last updated 8/6/24
Growing up, there was a spot in our town that was both a home and gift shop and a darling little tea room that served up lunch and afternoon tea with a side of very bougie housewife/ladies-who-lunch vibes. I remember feeling like it was always such a special treat when we got to get all dressed up and go dine there. What exactly we were dining on I don’t much remember, but I can tell you one thing, I do remember their tomato pie. Because it was a gloriously decadent and delicious thing of beauty. In fact, we all loved it so much, somehow someone convinced them to give us the recipe. Which brings me here today, sharing my spin on the recipe with you. So shoutout to whoever managed to wrangle the recipe from them. You have them to thank for today’s delicious recipe.
Update- I have since been informed of the source of this delicious pie!! Turns out a very dear family friend of ours was neighbors of the owner of the shop and the original creator of the infamous tomato pie. I guess I’m getting old because I remembered none of this, just how delicious the pie was! Ha! But big thank you’s all around for the original recipe that inspired this post!
HEIRLOOM TOMATO PIE RECIPE
TOMATO PIE INGREDIENTS
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES- for the best flavor and the prettiest presentation, feel free to use a mix of varieties and colors, or keep it more cohesive and use similar colored tomatoes
PIE CRUST- I like to use pate brisee but any 8”-9” unbaked pie crust of your choosing will do
MAYONNAISE- only real deal mayonnaise please and thank
MOZZARELLA CHEESE- I also love using provolone cheese, a sharp cheddar or swiss cheese
PARMESAN CHEESE- you can also use asiago, pecorino or romano
CALABRIAN CHILI PASTE (you might also see this as “crushed calabrian chilis”)- this adds just a bit of heat, but it can be omitted;
FRESH BASIL
THE BEST TOMATOES TO USE FOR THIS RECIPE
The best tomatoes to use are the tomatoes that you have. Of course, I love heirlooms not only for how they taste but also for how they look, but any tomato will really do.
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO PIE
Making tomato pie truly couldn’t be easier. It comes together in all of three simple steps-
STEP 1- Slice and salt the tomatoes
The salt is crucial. Don’t skip it. It helps to draw out the moisture from the tomatoes before you place them on the pie and not IN the pie (aka it helps avoid a soggy pie).
STEP 2- Mix THE CHEESES + Spread ON THE CRUST
Mix the mayonnaise, cheeses and seasonings together, then spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pie crust.
STEP 3- Add the tomatoes + bake
Pat the tomato slices dry then arrange them on the cheese. Bake until all beautiful and bubbly and golden brown.
STEP 4- Cool + serve
Let it cool for just a few minutes (honestly this is the hardest part because it looks and smells so good that you’ll want to dive right in), then slice, serve and enjoy your life (and, you know, tomato pie).
TOOLS YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS TOMATO PIE RECIPE
SERRATED KNIFE (I find this works best for slicing the tomatoes)
NOTES + TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
This recipe may be simple but there are a few steps that are crucial to it’s success.
SALT THE TOMATOES- Salting the tomatoes helps to draw out the moisture beforehand instead of once they’re in the pie, which is key to avoid a watery pie and a soggy crust.
PATE BRISEE CRUST- Here’s the thing. Truly any pie crust will do. Homemade, premade, store made. But the absolute best option here is to use a pate brisee, or an all butter crust, with a few extra tablespoons of butter. Here’s why- since the tomatoes are juicy, we want to avoid any extra water anywhere we can. Hence the all butter pastry crust. With a few extra tablespoons of butter for good measure. I use this recipe and increase the butter to 10 tablespoons and sub one of the tablespoons of water for 1 tablespoon ice cold plain vodka.
TART PAN VS PIE DISH- I like to use a tart pan purely based on aesthetics. I just love how it looks. However, if you only have a pie pan, rest assured that it will do just fine.
SUBSTITUTIONS
MAYONNAISE- These days I’m pretty much a vegan mayo only kinda gal, however, I go back to the real stuff for this recipe. I’ve yet to try it with vegan mayonnaise as I think it will be too watery, so if you choose to go that route, do so at your own risk. However, if you want a swap, try ricotta cheese. Just be sure it’s full fat and either ring it out in cheese cloth or let it drain in a fine mesh sieve for at least 30 minutes to get out any extra liquid and moisture.
CHEESE- Feel free to use provolone, sharp cheddar cheese or swiss cheese in place of the mozzarella, or in combination with the mozzarella (personally I love doing half mozzarella and half provolone) and you can use asiago, pecorino or romano cheese or any combo of those in place of, or in combination with, the parmesan cheese.
CALABRIAN CHILIS- If you don’t have access to calabrian chilis but still want a little heat in your pie, use dried chili flakes instead.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TOMATO PIE
As much as I love tomato pie, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s incredibly rich and decadent so when it comes to serving, keep your pairings light and simple. Think an herby green salad, a summery salad, a simple roasted vegetable, or maybe even just a glass of a crisp, dry white wine. The pie is the star of the show, after all, so you really doesn’t need much to help it shine.
BECAUSE FOOD TASTES BETTER WHEN IT’S SHARED WITH OTHERS…
If you make this tomato pie recipe, please snap a photo and share it, tagging me on INSTAGRAM or PINTEREST so I can see. Truly nothing makes me happier than when I see others making and enjoying my recipes!
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ITEMS + INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE