By Megan Winfrey

How about them 'maters!?

When my mama first introduced me to tomato pie I was a little uncertain, but that uncertainty quickly turned into an empty pie plate. It's now one of my favorite tomato dishes because of it's ease and versatility. Feel free to experiment with this recipe using other herbs and vegetables - the possibilities are endless!

Tomato Basil Pie

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

5 tbs. iced water

1 stick cold butter, cubed

3 large or 4 small tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/2 cup of basil leaves, cut into ribbons

2 green onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup mayo



For the crust: 

Gently mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or in a food processor.

Use your hands to mix in the cold cubed butter, or add slowly to the food processor while pulsing. Add the iced water, one tbs. at a time. If done in the food processor, the dough will form into pea sized balls. Once combined, form the dough into a disc and let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until chilled.

Once the dough has chilled, use a floured surface to roll out an appropriately sized circle for your pie pan. Lay the crust into your pan and flute the edges. Line the crust with aluminum foil and lay down pie weights or uncooked beans to keep the crust from rising. Bake for 10 minutes at 375ºF. Let cool.

The filling:

Lay the sliced tomatoes in the bottom of a colander. Sprinkle them with salt and let sit 10 minutes to release fluids. Pat the tomatoes with a paper towel to remove excess liquid.

Lay one layer of tomato slices in the bottom of the cooled pie crust, overlapping the edges. Follow with half of the basil, green onions, and garlic. Follow that with half of the cheddar and mozzarella. Repeat this sequence using the rest of the ingredients.

Spread the mayo on top of the last layer of cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375ºF.

Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature.