I have a bmper crop of tomatoes that have all ripened at once (dispite my efforts to plant varieties that would ripe in a staggered sequence). So, this is what I am making this afternoon — 2 of them.
Here is a recipe recommended by my daughter in Richmond, VA:
Tomato Pie
(adapted from Richmond Times-Dispatch 8/13/08)
1 9-inch pie crust, thawed if frozen
3-4 large ripe tomatoes (or more, if needed)
salt, pepper and fresh basil to taste
2 cups grated cheese (Cheddar or any combination)
½ cup mayonnaise (light is OK)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Bake pie crust for 5-7 minutes, then remove from oven. Reduce heat to 400 degrees.
Slice tomatoes, and if they are juicy, press them to drain in a colander or blot on paper towels (about an hour). Place the tomatoes in the pie shell in layers. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil.
Mix mayonnaise and grated cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over tomatoes.
Bake pie for 30-35 minutes.
NOTE: You can use any cheese – choose your favorite!
I REALLY like white sharp cheddar for this pie, which is a little harder to find, but worth the effort. Try sprinkling ¼ to ½ cup parmesan or grated cheese in between the layers of tomatoes in the pie. Dried basil isn’t as fragrant as fresh, but is still OK, and I also use fresh minced oregano and rosemary. Experiment with adding minced garlic or garlic powder to the tomatoes or the crust. If you want a little more flavor, adding bacon bits or diced ham is also good in the pie. It is a very flexible recipe! Enjoy!
6-8 servings
I’m going to try this this afternoon with my bumper crop of tomatoes (harvsted about 100 yesterday afternoon).
That's all we have in New England - it's hard to find yellow/orange sharp cheddar - we are white cheese people (is that racist?lol)
We've got sharp - extra sharp - extra/extra sharp and a store around here sells extra/extra/extra sharp (which smells like old gym socks and tastes over the high-tops stinky/stinky...but some people like it - not me!:>)
(it's a "I dare you to eat it" cheese)
I washed and dipped a bushel of tomatoes in boiling water to get rid of the skins. Then just put them in freezer bags. They are mush when they thaw and great for chili.
Tomato Pie is an old favorite here.