1 / 1
Old-Fashioned Tomato Pie
Old-Fashioned Tomato Pie is a savory Southern classic that makes the most of peak summer produce. This dish features a flaky, homemade crust layered with sweet heirloom tomatoes, tender onions, and fresh herbs. A rich topping of mayonnaise mixed with Gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano melts into a golden, bubbly finish. Salting the tomatoes before baking draws out excess moisture so the crust stays perfectly crisp. Serve this comforting pie warm or at room temperature for a relaxed weekend brunch or a light dinner.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 3 to 4 Tbsp. ice-cold water
- 2¼ lb. assorted heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- ½ cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, and basil)
- 2 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated (about ½ cup)
- 2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- 1Pulse the flour, shortening, butter, and salt in a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Keep the processor running and slowly pour in three tablespoons of ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time. Continue processing until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add up to one more tablespoon of water if needed. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- 2Remove the plastic wrap and place the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top lightly with flour and roll the dough out to an eighth-inch thickness.
- 3Preheat your oven to 425°F. Carefully transfer the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie plate and press it gently into the bottom and sides. Trim the edges so they extend one inch beyond the rim of the plate, then fold the overhang under itself to create a neat border. Chill the crust for another 30 minutes until it feels firm.
- 4Line the chilled pie crust with a sheet of aluminum foil and fill it completely with pie weights or dried beans. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet that has also been lined with foil.
- 5Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights, then return the crust to the oven for another 5 minutes until the bottom turns light brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the crust cool completely for about 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
- 6Arrange the sliced heirloom tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle them evenly with one teaspoon of kosher salt and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- 7Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes until the onion softens.
- 8Blot the salted tomatoes dry with fresh paper towels. Arrange the tomatoes, cooked onion, and chopped herbs in overlapping layers inside the cooled pie crust. Season each layer with a portion of the remaining one teaspoon of black pepper. Mix the grated Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mayonnaise in a small bowl, then spread this cheese mixture evenly over the top of the pie.
- 9Bake the pie for 30 minutes until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Cover the edges of the crust with foil if they start to darken too quickly. Let the pie rest before serving it hot, warm, or at room temperature.