Oma's Tomato Pie

This past weekend we went up to Oma and Papa's ranch for a relaxing day of picking apples, wandering the property, rides in the mule truck, feeding the animals, and baking.  Oma is a master gardener and her fruit and veggies are gourmet in quality, variety and taste.  Her tomatoes in particular were more than abundant, so Oma introduced me to her recipe for Tomato Pie.  It's beyond delicious and perfect for brunch, as an appetizer or as a meal in and of itself. 

Oma's Tomato Pie

Ingredients for the Crust if you want to make from scratch, otherwise a premade puff pastry will work great and save you time.

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water

  

Ingredients for the Filling

• 4-5 large ripe tomatoes, sliced thick and sprinkled with salt, left to drain in colander for 20-30 min
• Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn or sliced into small pieces
• 2 cups grated cheese blend of your choice (mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, cheddar, etc.)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cherry tomatoes and a sprig of basil for garnish, optional

To Make

If you're making the crust from scratch: Combine flour, salt, sugar and butter in food processor. Pulse until blended. Add ice water in slow steady stream pulsing just until dough holds together, about 30 seconds. Flatten dough into disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out dough and pat onto bottom and sides of tart pan. Bake crust for five minutes, then remove from oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees.

 

Arrange tomato slices over crust, sprinkle with basil. Mix cheese and mayo in small bowl, salt and pepper to taste. Spread evenly over the tomatoes and basil. Bake pie 30 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let cool.