While we never ate tomato pie growing up, I was always interested in the concept—a savory pie made with the garden’s endless tomato supply, held together with flaky crust and sharp cheddar. It wasn’t until I started working at Kitchen Sync that I learned the most important technique of all: draining the tomatoes. Every tomato pie I had made up until then had a beautifully crisp pie crust on the edges, and a soggy water-logged crust on the bottom. Draining your tomatoes prevents the dreaded soggy bottom, and the homemade pimiento cheese base is the insurance policy for that crisp crust.
This tomato pie is my version of a classic, and I love it for its potential of versatility. Put your own stamp on it by adding jalapeños, bacon, or roasted garlic in the pimiento cheese; or substitute your favorite cheese and scatter fresh herbs over it. Whether you serve the pie for lunch or dinner, I do think a glass of iced tea is customary.
Tomato Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed
Filling
- 3-5 large tomatoes, sliced
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp pimientos
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all-purpose flour, salt, and cold, cubed butter in a bowl.
- Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it is broken down into smaller pieces. Stop when the butter is about pea-sized.
- Gradually add ¼ cup of ice water and mix together until mixture starts to form a dough, adding more water, 1 tbsp at a time, if needed.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or overnight. Dough can be made 2–3 days in advance.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. On a floured surface, roll dough in a ¼-inch-thick circle. Place in a 10-inch pie plate. There should be excess dough hanging over.
- Trim to even the ends, if needed, then fold the excess dough underneath the sides, going all the way around the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger on one hand and your thumb on the other hand, crimp the dough.
- Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, until dough is firm again.
- Line pie tin with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15–25 minutes, until crust is golden around the edges and cooked through on the bottom. Remove the pie weights and allow the crust to cool.
- While the crust cools, cut tomatoes into ¼-inch-wide slices. Shingle tomatoes on a tray lined with paper towels to allow any excess moisture to be released. Salt tomatoes liberally. Set aside.
- Combine cream cheese, 8oz cheddar, mayonnaise, pimientos, garlic, salt, pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl. Mix well. Spoon into the bottom of the prepared pie shell. Layer the drained tomatoes on top, alternating with layers of the remaining shredded cheddar. Top with cheddar.
- Bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes are juicy and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.
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