Tomato Pie

I feel like it’s officially summer when I make the first tomato pie of the season. I will tell y’all I have tried a million different recipes, but this simple version is the best. Some people add onion, some add bacon, but I think letting the fresh homegrown tomatoes and the fresh herbs steal the show makes this so much better.

When I first covered Nashville for work, one of the doctors offices I called on used to have me bring them tomatoes anytime I came in. They swore ours were better (and cheaper) than anything they could find in Brentwood. One of the opticians gave me this recipe, it’s actually the recipe that former Tennessee First Lady Betty Dunn published. Melinda, I will forever owe you for passing along this recipe!

Betty Dunn’s Tomato Pie

1 frozen pie shell

3 or 4 home grown tomatoes, thickly sliced

1 to 2 T fresh basil, chopped

1 to 2 T fresh chives, chopped

1/2 C mayonnaise

2 cups grated cheese (I mix sharp cheddar and mozzarella)

Bake pie shell according to instructions. Cool. Place tomato slices between sheets of paper towels to absorb some of the moisture. Cover bottom of pie crust with tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine mayonnaise, cheese, basil, and chives.  Carefully dot this mixture over tomatoes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Notes: I think the key to a tomato pie that’s not too mushy is getting some moisture out of the tomatoes. I slice them first, then layer them on a plate, sprinkle with salt, and top with paper towels. I then switch out the paper towels when the pie shell comes out of the oven and let them dry out more while I assemble the topping.

If we have garlic scapes at the time, I use 1 T of fresh basil, 1 T of chives, and 1 T of minced garlic scapes. I would not use dried herbs, it would be like using canned tomatoes instead of homegrown. :) I saved the videos of me making a tomato pie on the “recipes” highlight on our Instagram page

If you make one, please post a picture or story and tag us!