Fresh Tomato Pie

Fresh Tomato Pie

If you're from the south you've most likely heard of Tomato Pie, and if not, you're in for a real treat!  This tomato pie is good as a side dish with any meal, but many times I eat a warmed up slice for breakfast. So good! I've seen a lot of recipes for this pie and have tried some of them, but I have to say, I like my version best.

Fresh Tomato Pie

The first recipe I ever tried, that my brother gave me, did not say to saute the onions and they came out a little too crunchy for me. So now I always cook them first and it's much better. Also, I didn't like the oregano it called for, but did love the taste of the basil. I've also seen some recipes that call for fresh garlic, but I prefer garlic powder in mine. The mozzarella and mayonnaise mixture tops it off just perfectly! Another thing is that if you don't place the tomato slices on paper towels and salt them (to draw out more liquid) the tomatoes will make the pie soggy and not as good. My version is just perfect, so I hope you'll try it and enjoy it!

FRESH TOMATO PIE

(makes a deep dish pie)

Ingredients

1 pie shell (I used All Ready Pie Crust by Pillsbury)

3-5 fresh tomatoes, sliced

1 cup sweet Vidalia onion, thinley sliced

1-2 slices bacon, cooked (optional) It's just as good if you don't have bacon

Note: as much as I love bacon, I think I like it better without bacon. 

¾-1 cup Hellmans mayonnaise (not fat free and not Salad dressing)

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ teaspoon sugar (optional)

Basil 

Garlic powder-not too much

Salt and pepper
Parsley (optional)
Dill weed

Preheat oven to 400º. Bake pie shell for 10-12 minutes or till lightly browned. Remove and let it cool.
While crust is baking, slice tomatoes ¼" thick and place them on paper towels to soak up excess liquid. Salt the tomatoes to bring out more liquid and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Put another paper towel on tomatoes to blot out more liquid.
     In the meantime, cook bacon, leaving grease in the pan.  Saute sliced onions in bacon grease. After crust has cooled, spread ½ cup mozzarella cheese onto crust. Then place ½ of the tomato slices on top of the cheese. Sprinkle tomatoes with sugar, garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper. Next spread cooked onions on top of tomatoes. Spread another ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top of onions.
Place remaining tomato slices on top of cheese, then sprinkle on the spices. (Garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper). If you're using bacon this would be the time to break that up and place on top. If you have some green onions sprinkle some chopped ones on to of this.
In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese, parsley and mayonnaise.  Spread this cheese mixture on top of tomatoes. Then sprinkled some dill weed on top of all.

Pie Shield 

Place pie in 375º heated oven and let it cook for 35 minutes. Toward the last 15-20 minutes you may have to place a pie crust shield around edges. If you don't have one, put aluminum foil around crust edge so it won't get too dark. Watch pie so it doesn't get burnt on top. You do want it to be a crusty brown though. My oven is not been working right and I had to cook the pie a little longer. Just keep an eye on it.

Let the pie cool 15-30 minutes before serving, so it will set up. I think it is best when warmed up the next day, but I'm sure you could eat it cold too!
Note: I did not have parsley this last time I made it and it was great without it.
Please enjoy the recipe! You're in for a treat!

Note: I made this again recently and it didn't taste right to me & I'm pretty sure it's because I'm o just getting over the virus. Plus the tomatoes weren't super ripe, so it's better when tomatoes first come into season. This is October! Also, it tasted too salty to me with the bacon.