Try this Tomato Pie Recipe
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust
- 4 large tomatoes peeled and sliced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound bacon - cooked drained, and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- Carbohydrate 324.784685000547 g
- Cholesterol 49.7000000029587 mg
- Fat 250.787295002754 g
- Fiber 27.0161506769494 g
- Protein 55.0030483333547 g
- Saturated Fat 67.8040733337489 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (893g)
- Sodium 4003.19650006733 mg
- Sugar 297.768534323597 g
- Trans Fat 14.9680237523541 g
- Calories 3772 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- In alternating layers, fill pastry shell with tomatoes, basil, scallions, bacon, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper. In a small bowl, mix cheese with mayonnaise. Spread mixture over top of pie. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil from top of pie and bake an additional 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Peeling four large tomatoes and slicing them requires attention to moisture control, because excess water ruins the structural integrity of any pastry shell. Salting sliced tomatoes and letting them drain in a colander for fifteen minutes removes surface liquid before assembly. Layering those drained slices into a nine-inch deep dish pastry shell alongside chopped fresh basil, thinly sliced green onions, and cooked bacon creates pockets of concentrated flavor. Distributing dried oregano, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper evenly across these layers ensures proper seasoning integration without clumping.
Blending two cups of shredded cheddar cheese with one-fourth cup of mayonnaise forms a protective fat-and-protein seal over the filling. Mayonnaise emulsions resist breaking under heat better than pure dairy fats, creating a stable barrier that browns evenly during baking. Spreading this mixture uniformly across the top surface prevents the underlying vegetables from drying out while trapping savory steam inside the crust. Baking commences at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature hot enough to render pastry fats quickly for flaky layer development.
Covering the pie with aluminum foil for the first thirty minutes of baking protects the cheese topping from scorching before the interior reaches proper temperature. Removing the foil for the final thirty minutes exposes the dairy proteins to direct radiant heat, promoting Maillard browning and rendering the surface golden. Cool the finished pie on a wire rack for twenty minutes before slicing to allow the melted cheese matrix to reset its internal structure. This resting phase prevents the filling from slumping when portions are transferred to plates.
Southern iterations of this dish traditionally rely on garden-ripe produce and high-fat condiments to balance high acidity levels in the fruit. Storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days maintains food safety, though pastry crispness will diminish over time. Reheating individual slices in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes restores texture far better than a microwave, which introduces steam and softens the pastry base.
