Ginas Summer Tomato Pie Recipes

GINA'S SUMMER TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 deg. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle flour on a work surface.
• Roll out pie dough to form a 10-inch circle & place on baking sheet.
• Overlap & alternate the different tomatoes & mozzarella (I only had red tomatoes) in the center of the dough, leaving a 3-inch border.
• Scatter the basil leaves on top.
• Sprinkle with salt & pepper & red pepper flakes.
• Fold the uncovered edges of the dough inward over the filling to create a pleated crust.
• Brush edges & top with olive oil. (Look at my pictures, watch out for holes in the edges, the water from the tomatoes will leak out.).
• Place in the oven & bake for 35 minutes.
• After about 10 minutes check for leaks & plug them.
• Remove from the oven to a cutting board.
• Slice & serve.

SUMMER TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place and fit pie crust in pie plate, cover with foil and top with pie weights (dry rice or beans). Bake for 8 minutes, remove, and allow to cool slightly.
• Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees. Place sliced tomatoes paper towels to drain excess liquid for 10-15 minutes, blotting the top also.
• In the slightly cooled, baked pie sheel, layer the sliced tomatoes, herbs, onions and cheese (in that order).
• Mix together to mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper and spread this mixture evenly over the cheese.
• Place the second (unbaked) pie crust over the top and crimp the edges to seal. Use a sharp paring knife to cut four vents in the top.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, until top crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

SUMMER TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350° and par-bake the pie crust. I roll mine into a glass pie plate, poke small holes all over with a fork, cover the top and sides with a piece of foil, and weigh it down with metal spoons (or pie weights if you have them). Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crust is firm. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the slices to a paper towel to drain, then crumble them up. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat and cook the onion until soft and just turning brown (stirring frequently, about 10 minutes). When the onions are done, remove them to a bowl and cool.
• Cut the tomatoes across the equator and poke the insides to remove the seeds and their juice. Discard the juice and seeds, or save for another use. Rough chop the tomatoes into about 1 inch pieces. Put the copped tomatoes into a colander and squeeze the remaining juice. You could also wrap them in cheesecloth and really wring them out. (I know it seems like a waste, but the more juice you get out, the less soupy your pie will be.) Mix the drained tomatoes in a large bowl with the basil, cooked onions, and crumbled bacon. Add a good amount of salt and pepper to taste.
• Make the topping. Mix the cheese, mayo, hot sauce, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Brush the partially cooled crust with the egg white, then spread the bottom with the dijon mustard. Next, dump the chopped tomato mixture into the crust, and even it to a flat surface on top. Drop the topping by spoonful on top of the tomatoes. Spread it around with your fingers to create an even layer.
• Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is turning golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it.
• NOTE: if you cut into this pie when it is still warm, it WILL fall apart. The way I see it, this is completely unavoidable. Don't worry though, it will taste freakin' good anyway. The picture at the top of this post was taken the next day, after the pie was refrigerated overnight. This works well served warm, room temp, or cold from the fridge.

TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Arrange the tomato and onion slices in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Line the crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges of the crust are just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the bottom of the crust is dry and brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
• Mix together the Cheddar, mozzarella and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
• Transfer the tomatoes and onions to a dry paper towel and pat dry. Liberally season the tomatoes with cracked black pepper. Arrange a third of the tomatoes in a single layer in the pie crust, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle a third of the basil over the tomatoes and top with a third of the onions. Repeat twice with the remaining tomatoes, basil and onions. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the onions.
• Bake until the topping is golden brown and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve at room temperature.