Tomato Basil Pie

Posted by Rachel Schwartz on 8/13/2020 to Family

rectangular cooked dough with cooked red, yellow, and purple tomato slices on top

Fresh produce is especially popular in summer. Farmer's markets are bursting with fresh fruits and vegetables and seasonal crops. Tomatoes, whose growing season is typically in the spring, can still be found at most farm stands throughout the summer. Paired with fresh basil and cheese, this pie is perfect for tomato lovers and makes for a great, light meal.

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

1-1/3 cups flour
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons shortening
3-4 tablespoons ice water
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

4 large tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Directions:

Pie Crust:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Then add the butter and shortening. Mix these into the flour using a pastry blender until the mix resembles crumbles the size of small peas.
Using a tablespoon or two at a time, add water to the flour mixture. A fork can be used to stir the water into the mix until the dough just comes together. The dough should be a bit flaky until squeezed together instead of smooth like cookie dough.
Wrap the dough in two pieces of plastic wrap and shape it into a ball. Roll the dough out into a circle using a rolling pin.
Place the dough into the pie pan, leaving an inch or so around the edge of the pan and trim away any excess dough. Take that inch of dough around the edge and crimp them to create a ruffled effect along the edge of the pie and prick the bottom and sides of the dough lightly a few times with a fork.
Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the dough and place the pie pan in the oven for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove the pie crust from the oven and let cool while the filling is prepared.

Filling:

Slice the tomatoes into thin slices and place on a layer or two of paper towels.
Lightly salt the tomato slices and let them sit for around 10 minutes. This will pull out any excess water from the tomatoes which should get absorbed by the paper towels.
Combine 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese in a small bowl and set aside.
After the tomato slices have sat for ten minutes, sprinkle the slices with the oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Then, layer 1/3 of the tomato slices in the bottom of the pie pan, 1/3 of the cheese mix, and 1/3 of the fresh basil leaves. Repeat the layers until the pie is full.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Dot this mix on top of the final layer of tomatoes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the pie uncovered for around 30 minutes. Then, let it cool before serving.