A Couple Cooks

Amazing Tomato Pie

August 24, 2020

This tomato pie is a showstopper! A flaky thyme crust, cheesy filling, and ripe juicy tomatoes make this a savory pie you’ll want to make again and again.

Tomato pie

Hold onto your hats: here’s your new best way to use fresh tomatoes. Tomato pie! This one so flavor-packed, it might be the best on the internet. A bold claim, but hear us out. There’s the flaky pastry crust, buttery and scented with thyme. There’s a gooey, cheesy filling: intensely savory from a little mayo and Dijon mustard, mixed with two cheeses. And the best part? Two layers of juicy, beautiful ripe summer tomatoes. It even takes less time than many other tomato pies. Heck, we think it’s pretty darn perfect. (You may want to jump right to the recipe.)

Before you start

Before you start, make sure that you have enough time for this recipe. Because it looks so good, you probably want to dig in your fork immediately. It takes between 1 to 1 1/2 hours to prepare this recipe, then you’ll need to allow 20 minutes for the pie to cool. Here are some caveats to that:

  • It’s great after sitting a few hours, and leftovers save well. So you can make it in the morning, and eat it for dinner. Or make it the night before, and refrigerate until serving.
  • Shortcut 1: Make the crust in advance. You can make the crust beforehand to save time! (See below.)
  • Shortcut 2: Use purchased pastry crust! Or, use store bought pastry crust: it’s not quite as good but will do the trick! (See below.)

Got ripe summer tomatoes? OK, you can proceed. You absolutely MUST have the very best ripe summer tomatoes! The key to this pie is gorgeous, fruity, summer-scented red tomatoes.

Tomato pie

The tricks to the best tomato pie

After lots of research, we’ve honed the best tomato pie on the internet (we hope!). The great thing is: not only does it taste good, it’s faster than many other comparable recipes. Here’s what to know about our method:

  • Broiling the tomatoes first avoids a soggy pie. The biggest technical issue with a tomato pie? Tomatoes are 95% water. This means that there’s a risk it might be too watery. Broil the tomatoes and they’re still juicy but not soggy.
  • Blind baking the pie shell makes a perfect crust. This is another key to getting just the right bake on the crust. You’ll bake it for about 12 minutes without the filling. See the section below.
  • Layering the thick filling with tomatoes makes insane flavor. The filling is gooey and custardy, not eggy a quiche. You’ll layer that thick, flavor-packed filling with the tomatoes to get the very best pop of big flavor.

Now that you have the basics: let’s talk about a few of the techniques to this tomato pie!

What is blind baking and why is it necessary?

Blind baking is baking a pie crust without the filling. Why do this? It makes sure that crust is perfectly firm before you add the filling. This avoids the soggy bottom problem, and it makes a pastry that’s firm and flaky. Here are a few things to know about this blind bake:

  • Prick holes with a fork all over the crust. This helps it to puff up less while in the oven.
  • You don’t need to bake with weights for this pie. Some people swear by using weights to weigh down the pie crust so it doesn’t get too puffy. You don’t need them for this recipe: the crust will puff a little, but it will settle back down in the first few minutes it’s out of the oven.
  • Most importantly: the pie crust will shrink! Know that the pie crust will shrink and end up about 1/2 inch lower on the sides of the pie pan. That’s intended! The filling does not need the crust to reach the top of the pan. Speaking of that…
Tomato pie recipe

More tomato pie crust tips!

Here’s what to know about making a savory pie crust for this tomato pie! There are just a few tips to note that are a little different than a standard pie:

  • Roll the dough out as evenly as possible. You’ll want it about 1/8 inch thick.
  • Don’t flute or fold over the edges! This pie crust doesn’t need a fluted or folded edge: it has a straight edge (see the photo above).
  • Cut the dough so it just rests on the top of the pie pan. When you blind bake it, it will shrink down. That’s intended perfectly ok! This fits the amount of filling.

Shortcut: make the crust in advance

Want to save time? You can make the crust in advance! Here are two methods:

  • Make the crust and refrigerate the dough ball. This way you can have it ready to roll out. It will have solidifed in the fridge after more than 1 hour, so let it sit at room temp while you preheat the oven.
  • Roll out the crust and place it in the pie pan, then refrigerate overnight. Doing it this way is even easier: your pie dough will be instantly ready to fill! Again, let it sit at room temp before you preheat the oven and broil the tomatoes.
Tomato pie

In a pinch: use storebought pastry crust

You also can use a storebought pastry crust to make even faster prep! Just so you know, we think this thyme-scented tomato pie crust is bomb. In fact, our recipe testers raved about it! But if you don’t think you can carve out the time, use pastry crust with these two notes:

  • Follow the instructions on the pastry crust package for how to work with it.
  • You may need less time on the blind bake, like 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it and pull it when it’s golden brown.

Storage / reheating instructions

Here’s the thing about this tomato pie: not only is it incredibly tasty, it holds up remarkably well. Here are a few things to know about storage and reheating:

  • Room temp storage: This pie tastes great after sitting at room temperature for several hours. So, you can get away with making it a few hours before you want to eat it.
  • Reheating: It also reheats very well! You can also refrigerate leftovers or the entire pie for 1 to 2 days. Warm leftovers in a 300 degree oven for about 5 minutes (or more, for an entire pie) until warmed through and the crust is crispy again.
Amazing tomato pie

How to serve tomato pie

Once you’ve got that tomato pie…man, are there so many ways to serve it! This savory pie is perfect as a summer dinner recipe…like an alternative to pizza! (Though you’ll eat less pieces.) Serve it with a green salad and you’ve got dinner! Of course, it’s perfect as a brunch recipe too. Or a fancy lunch…you get the picture. Here are a few sides we’d serve it with:

This one was a knock-out in our family: we hope it will be in yours too!

This tomato pie recipe is…

Vegetarian.

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Tomato pie

Amazing Tomato Pie

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (7 votes, average: 4.43 out of 5)

4.4 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This tomato pie is a showstopper! A flaky thyme crust, cheesy filling, and ripe juicy tomatoes make this a savory pie you’ll want to make again and again.

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
  • 7 tablespoons ice water, more as needed

For the filling

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (5 medium)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons chives, plus more for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and thyme. Cut the butter into small pieces and drop it into the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut it into the flour mixture until a coarse meal texture is obtained.
  2. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour, mixing gradually with a fork until the dough sticks together. Add additional water by the tablespoon until the dough comes together with your hands, but is not sticky, adding a bit more water or flour if necessary.
  3. Refrigerate the dough: Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate in a covered container at least 30 minutes.
  4. Broil the tomatoes: Meanwhile, preheat a broiler to High. Slice the tomatoes in 3/8” inch thick slices. Remove the seeds with your fingers and discard them. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with several pinches of kosher salt. Broil for 6 to 8 minutes until starting to lightly brown at the edges. Remove and rest until cooled.
  5. Blind bake the pie shell: Preheat the oven to 425°F. After the dough has chilled 30 minutes, butter a 9” pie plate. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Lightly flour the countertop. Roll the dough evenly from the center to the edge, until the dough is a large circle about 1/8-inch thick. Use the rolling pin to gently transfer the dough into the center of the pie plate. Use your fingers to press the pastry into the form of the pie pan. Cut off excess dough that extends over the sides of the pie pan: you’ll want the dough to just rest on the top edge of the pan (but don’t crimp or fold the edges). Lightly prick the dough all over with a fork (this keeps it from puffing too much while baking). Then place it in the oven without filling and bake for 12 minutes* or until just starting to brown (this is called blind baking).The crust will shrink down the sides of the pan about 1/2-inch during the blind bake: this is intentional.
  6. Make the filling: While the crust blind bakes, in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, chives, and Dijon mustard and mix until smooth. Add the Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese and mix until incorporated.
  7. Bake the filled pie: When the dough is finished baking, spread 1/2 of the filling in the bottom of the crust. Place half of the tomatoes in a single layer over the filling, overlapping them slightly. Repeat by spreading the remaining half of the filling on top, then the remaining tomatoes. Finish with a liberal sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top. Bake until the pie is set and starting to brown, about 22 to 24 minutes.
  8. Cool: Allow the pie to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving: this helps it to set. If desired, garnish with basil leaves and chopped chives. Slice into pieces and serve.
  9. Storage/reheating instructions: This pie tastes great after sitting at room temperature for several hours. It also reheats very well! You can also refrigerate and then warm leftovers in a 300 degree oven for about 5 minutes until warmed through and the crust is crispy again.

Notes

*If you’re in a pinch, you can substitute a purchased pastry crust. You may need a little less time on the blind bake, about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it. 

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Tomato pie

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