Tomato Pie

Tomato pie, ohhh tomato pie,
Everybody should know about this stuff.
A perfect dish for a summers day , served with a fresh green salad, or as I did last night, served with roast chicken marinated in olive oil, garlic and rosemary and some lovely colorful veggies!

I first learned about Tomato Pie in one of the old Silver Palate cookbooks that my mom had innocuously sitting around in the kitchen.  She made it for us one day and honestly, I have never looked back.  I would spend hours pouring over this book as a youth observing the symphony of different dishes come together as they paraded through my head.   Over the years, I have lost the recipe, found the recipe and modified it so many different ways, it continues to be an exploration for me.  

Versatile and easy this recipe is indeed.  

A few potentially interesting modifications:
(many I have tried successfully)

- Try using different types of tomatoes
- Add cheese to the base or bocconcini to the top
- Use a mix of almond flour and quinoa flour for the crust (might need to add an      egg to the crust recipe in this variation)
- Add prosciutto to the bottom
- Use coconut oil instead of butter
- Drizzle balsamic reduction over tomatoes before baking
- Change the whole thing and put artichokes and goat cheese in the middle, or figs and goatcheese
- Mushroom pie? With blue cheese?  Ok .... getting carried away now :)
- Add a little sugar to the tomatoes

- Change up the herbs
- Crushed chickpeas in the bottom

One can see how this can get out of hand pretty quick.  
Although, in all seriousness, they are all good ideas and can be made with quick and simple modifications to an already great recipe.  Just imagine!

Without further ado, here is the recipe.

Tomato Pie
Makes 1 delicious pie.                          Prep time:  30 minutes                      Baking time: 1 hour @ 350F

Crust
1-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
zest of half a lemon
1/2 cup butter, preferably unsalted, room temperature
4 to 5 tablespoons ice cold water

Method:

1. Combine the flour, salt, parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
2. Cut butter into flour mixture until it is the size of a pea or smaller.
   
3. Add water and mix quickly with a fork.
   
4. Bring dough together and wrap in plastic wrap.
   
5. When ready, roll out to ¼ inch thick on parchment paper.
6. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Filling:
8 tomatoes, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Combine the tomatoes and salt. Let sit for twenty minutes. Strain.
2. Mix herbs, garlic and tomatoes.
   
3. On the rolled out pie dough, spread the Dijon mustard, leaving a 1 inch border around the outside.
   
4. Layer the tomatoes over the mustard.
5. Fold the rough edges of the pie dough over the tomatoes to encase them in the crust.
6. Bake in a 350F oven for 1 hour.
7. Before serving, let cool for at least a half an hour, longer if possible.

It is great as leftovers or as a drool worthy lunch.
Enjoy!

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