Annie & Skyler It’s that magical time of year when we still have loads of fresh tomatoes, but it’s finally cool enough to turn on the oven. To celebrate, we developed this beautiful savory tomato pie, inspired by the Southern American classic. It combines the once-a-year lusciousness of homegrown heirloom tomatoes with the creamy goodness of another Southern staple: pimiento cheese! Think of this pie as a delicious cross between a freshly baked margherita pizza and quiche. It is SUPREMELY divine and worth every second you spend making it. This pie is also totally flexible when it comes to serving—it’s perfectly delicious warm, cold, or at room temp. Have it for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner. It’s all up to YOU!
Key Points
The Crust If you have the time, we highly recommend making the pie crust yourself using our Olive Oil-Butter Pie Crust recipe, but a rolled store-bought crust will also work fine if you’re in a crunch. Since this pie is relatively free-form and casual, this is a great recipe to try if you’re a first-time pastry-maker!
The Tomatoes Choose whatever tomatoes are ripe and at their best. We used a combination of fleshy paste tomatoes and plump, juicy heirlooms. Core them and cut into ½-inch slices. Arrange the slices between paper towels to draw out excess moisture for about 15 minutes. Don’t skip this step—that extra moisture could leave your pie on the watery side, which will dilute the flavor.
The Peppers We love the sweetness and ease of using jarred diced pimentos, but if you have some red sweet peppers in the garden (like us!), by all means, roast those up and finely chop them. It’ll add an extra bit of intensity to the mayo mixture.
TOMATO PIE, STEP-BY-STEP>>>
Step 1 Select a variety of fresh, local tomatoes. If you don’t grow your own, hit up the farmer’s market or road side stand. They’re everywhere this time of year!
Step 2 Slice and blot tomatoes. Let slices stand between paper towels while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3 Combine the ingredients for the creamy layers. Be sure to shred the cheese yourself for the best texture. Pre-shredded cheeses won’t melt as well.
Step 4 Use a hand mixer or beat the mixture using a fork until well-combined. It’s OK if a few chunks of cream cheese still remain.
Step 5 Roll the crust and transfer it to the pie plate. It’s totally fine if you have uneven edges—this adds to the rustic look!
Step 6 Spread half of the mayo mixture over the bottom of the crust, then sprinkle with half of the crushed saltines, and layer with half of the tomatoes and leeks.
Step 7 Repeat the layers one more time. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheddar.
Step 8 Fold the edges of the crust up and over filling (if you use purchased pie crust there may not be much excess). Brush the crust edges with beaten egg to ensure a glossy, golden brown finish. Sprinkle the whole top with flaky salt and black pepper.
Step 9 Bake until bubbly and golden. To help the pie slice cleanly and evenly, let cool least 30 minutes before serving.
Pimiento Cheese-Tomato Pie
Ingredients
- 2½ to 3 lb. assorted tomatoes, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (5 oz.)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup jarred diced pimientos or finely chopped roasted red peppers
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil and/or parsley
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 2 or 3 pinches crushed red pepper
- Olive Oil-Butter Pie Crust or ½ of a 16- to 17.3-oz. pkg. rolled refrigerated pie crust (1 crust)
- 10 saltines, crushed, or ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 small leek or 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Beat egg in a small bowl; transfer about half of the beaten egg to a medium bowl (reserve remaining beaten egg for egg wash). To the medium bowl add 1 cup of the cheddar, the mayonnaise, cream cheese, pimientos, basil and/or parsley, salt, paprika, and crushed red pepper. Beat with a mixer on medium until well-combined.
- Roll pie crust into a 14-inch circle (it’s OK to have uneven edges). Transfer rolled pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Spread about half of the mayo mixture over the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle with half of the saltine crumbs. Layer on half of the tomatoes and half of the leeks. Spoon on remaining mayo mixture, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining saltines, then layer on remaining tomatoes and leeks over top. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheddar cheese. Fold any pie crust overhang up to enclose filling at edges. Brush reserved beaten egg over crust edges. Sprinkle entire top with flaky salt and black pepper.
- Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until crust is golden and filling is browned and a little bubbly. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
