Southern Tomato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 frozen pie crust (pre-baked for 10 minutes)
• 4 large tomatoes (thinly sliced)
• salt (to taste, for drawing out moisture and seasoning layers)
• black pepper (to taste)
• fresh chives (chopped, for layering)
• fresh basil (chopped, for layering)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. 2

   Place the frozen pie crust in the oven and bake for 10 minutes to par-bake.

3. 3

   While the crust bakes, thinly slice the 4 large tomatoes.

4. 4

   Lay the tomato slices out on parchment paper and sprinkle them with salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes to release moisture.

5. 5

   Pat the excess moisture off the tomatoes thoroughly with paper towels.

6. 6

   Line the par-baked pie crust with the tomatoes in layers. Between each layer, sprinkle with salt, pepper, chopped fresh chives, and chopped fresh basil.

7. 7

   In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese until well combined.

8. 8

   Spread the mayonnaise and cheese mixture evenly over the top of the tomato layers.

9. 9

   Place the pie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to catch any drips.

10. 10

    Return the pie to the 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

11. 11

    Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow it to set.

Notes

This pie is traditionally meant to be somewhat liquid. If you prefer a drier pie, you can let the salted tomatoes sit longer, or pre-bake the tomato slices in a low oven (around 225°F) for about 1.5 hours to dehydrate them before assembly.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• Southern
• summer
• tomatoes
• baked
• vegetarian