Hurry and make this savory tomato pie while you still have fresh tomatoes around this season…
We've been enjoying the tomatoes on our deck this summer, the little cherry-sized orange ones are like candy, not kidding. We're definitely growing more than one of those plants next year. We've been filling in with tomatoes from our CSA and making salsa, salads, slicing them for burgers or sub sandwiches, throwing them in pasta, or just popping them into our mouths. (What's your favorite tomato recipe?)
There are SO many versions of a savory tomato pie out there, but many of them take too much time and have too many steps, I'm all about simple and fast real foods around here, as much as possible anyway. So I pulled a few recipes together and came up with my own, Kent and the kids all loved it. (And don't let the homemade crust scare you, it's actually super easy!) Try this one and let me know what you think!
Savory Tomato Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour I use part einkorn flour for extra nutrition and part organic all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons organic cane sugar or palm sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 Tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
- 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ice-cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar I just used ACV
Filling:
- About 4 cloves or more of crushed fresh garlic (if you don't have it or you're in a hurry, just add more garlic powder to the cheese mixture)
- About 4 tomatoes more or less depending on what you have, different types or sizes are fine
- Sea salt for sprinkling over tomatoes
- Small handful of basil with stems removed
- Small handful of parsley if you have it dried parsley is okay too
- Half teaspoon or so of thyme optional
- 1 large onion optional
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup mayo homemade mayo or this store-bought kind with no nasty veg oils
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- Sea salt and pepper
- You could also add some of these low-oxalate greens for extra nutrition! I slip this into all sorts of things.
Instructions
Prepare the tomatoes:
- Cut in half and scoop most of the watery insides and seeds out. Cut into bite-sized pieces then set in a colander in the sink, sprinkle salt all over them. Let set for 10 minutes or so, then transfer onto paper towels to dry. Get as much moisture from them as you can so your pie won't be soggy, then leave them on paper towels in a single layer while you make the rest...
Make the crust:
- Butter a pie plate and preheat the oven to 400*.
- Add flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor and blend for a few seconds, then add the cold butter a little at a time. Continue processing until the mixture is crumbly, a couple of minutes. With the food processor still running, add water and vinegar just until well combined. Turn the dough into your buttered pie plate and press it evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Poke it all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles. Bake until lightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temp to 375*.
Make the filling:
- This onion part is optional because it takes more time (I skipped it), but gives extra flavor: caramelize one sliced onion in 2 Tablespoons butter in a frying pan until golden. Set aside.
- Mix cream cheese, mayo, mozzarella, onion powder and thyme together. Set aside.
- First the crushed garlic goes all over the bottom of the baked pie crust. Next layer on however many tomatoes you have. (Reserve a few for the top if you want so it's prettier, but I forgot to do this.) Add the optional onions. Place the basil and parsley on the tomatoes and salt and pepper all over. Spoon the cheese mixture on the top and spread around. Place the reserved tomatoes around the top if you saved some. Sprinkle on the Parmesan. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. If the edges of the crust start to get too brown, throw one of these on, I love that thing!
Notes
If you like this savory tomato pie, here's more you might like:
- The BEST fresh homemade salsa recipe — a dance party in your mouth!
- Our favorite FAST healthy meal: homemade “ketchup” soup — that's what we used to call it and the kids cheered, lol. Now we just called it plain old tomato soup with grilled cheese to dip in it. It's my favorite meal for when it's 5:00 pm and Kent is on his way home and I have NO idea what's for dinner. (BTW, my other favorite meal for when that happens is tuna melts! We MAY have just had both of these recently…)
- Tasty gazpacho that you can't mess up! I love this FRESH tasting soup that you serve cold, best with a dollop of sour cream on top with salt and pepper.
- Some NOT tomato recipes: How to RUIN Your Morning Smoothie in 3 Easy Steps
- Unrelated: Finding Real Food on Vacation… in Alaska?!
Leave a Reply