A New Tomato Pie for Summer’s End

  We are still deep into summer tomatoes here in France, a time of year when it seems we (happily!) eat almost nothing else. Where we are the tomatoes come  late to the party (mid July) but then they hang around a while in a most leisurely fashion. Maybe you've got a vine-ripe batch chez vous as well.

The French make great tomato tarts (recipe here for Monty's Tomato Tart), which I make often. But when I want the ultimate tomato overload, nothing will do but a very southern tomato pie. This is my resident carnivore’s absolutely favorite dish, and mine too, so it’s especially pleasing to the vegetarians among us.

I have two tomato pie recipes in my repertoire. One is a very light version, and so easy I can just tell you about it right now. Slice some tomatoes, put them in a regular pie plate. Top with thin slices of Vidalia onions and some cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers, one or two times, ending with cheese. Beat one egg, pour it over all, and bake at 350 til the egg is set, 20 minutes-ish. So easy, so good. 

But a really over the top tomato pie is in a deep dish pie plate with a crust, served as the main dish. For years I have used the ultimate recipe from  the Fat Hen restaurant (kindly shared by my friend John). It’s a version of the pretty typical one that southern cooks know, with a crust on the bottom, and a mayo/cheese mixture spread on top. (Can't find the Fat Hen's recipe on line, but this one is close). But I can’t for the life of me keep the crust from getting soggy. Those plump tomatoes just won’t give up their juice ahead of time. I’ve tried salting and draining them for hours; I’ve smushed them and pressed them. I’ve pre-baked pie crusts to a rigid state. Still tons of liquid in the bottom, and a soggy crust. 

But this year, I nailed it! I put the crust ON TOP! And none on the bottom to get soggy. Now why didn’t I think of that before? Any liquid in the bottom can just be drained off and it doesn’t affect the crispy top crust. I thought it wouldn’t come out in neat slices, but it did pretty well. Anyway, it's so good no one will mind.

Use the above crustless one as a great side dish (or if you’re going low-carb). Use the more lavish crusted one as a main dish. And profitez from the last days of summer!

(There are as many tomato pie recipes as there are Southern cooks–and lots of French ones, too. Do share if you have a good one!)

RECIPE:  Southern Fried French Tomato Pie 

Strictly optional, but if I have some fresh corn, I like to cut the kernels off of a couple of cobs and layer them in as well. No need to cook it. Or use leftover cooked corn.

–4 large tomatoes
–one mild onion, sliced thin with a mandoline: red, white, or Vidalia will do
–about 2 cups of grated cheddar, or gruyere if you’re feeling French (if you have some fresh
    Parmesan on hand, grate a bit of that in too and you will not be sorry)
–2 ears of corn, kernals cut off
–a handful of basil leaves, torn if large
–1 egg
–2 tablespoons mayonnaise
–juice of a small lemon
–pie dough for a single pie

 
Slice tomatoes about 1/2" thick, and put them on a cooling rack over a cutting board. Salt and pepper both sides and leave to drain, a half hour or longer (no big deal if you skip this step).

Make a single pie crust and chill it, or use Pillsbury, I think it's the best.

Pre-heat oven to 375. Press tomatoes lightly against the rack to drain. Cover the bottom of a deep dish pie plate with tomatoes. Spread some onion slices around a layer of onions, then 1/3 of the cheese, and some basil leaves. Repeat twice, so you have 3 layers, ending with cheese. Layer in some corn, if using. Don't worry if you run out of an ingredient, unless it's tomatoes (just slice a few more). Beat the egg with the mayo and lemon juice and pour it over all.

Cut out the pie crust and cover the pie, crimping edges. Put it in the oven with a  cookie sheet on the shelf below, in case it bubbles over (mine did a bit). Bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Let it sit a spell, maybe 10 minutes but it can sit longer.

Cut the first piece and take it out with a slotted spatula, letting it drain a second on the spatula if needed. Tilt it to see if there is juice in the bottom (there probably will be), then carefully tilt the pie over the sink and drain the liquid, holding the crust in place. Finish slicing the pie with the slotted spatula.

One pie will serve 4. Ron recommends a crisp Chardonnay or a light red wine with this, but a cold beer would work just fine too.

Once again, we are talking hurricanes–this time the dreaded Irma. Which hit my (other) home of Charleston, where there was major flooding but no major damage for most folks. Bon courage to the many victims who did not fare as well in this terrible storm. And Harvey victims, we have not forgotten you and your continuing struggles.

In the COMMENTS: In response to our party ideas request: Natalia offers up a full menu, including Cordon Bleu and the delicious (English) Eaton Mess. Suzanne Hurst has more good pimento cheese tips. Suzanne Dunaway offers up an interesting potato salad I want to try, and a great main dish. Jacqueline has a great menu too, and I can’t wait to try that dressing! Jacqueline, I douse my peaches with lemon or lime juice and cover them tightly, and that holds them for quite a while.

Favorite READS: My friend Rita, cooped up at home with Irma, is just finishing up A Gentleman in Moscow, which she says is one of the best books she's ever read. My son in law agrees, so I'm well into it now too. A great and quirky read!