Summer Tomato Pie - My National Pie Day favorite!

I am constantly inspired by talented chefs and home cooks, but it’s only the best-of-the-best recipes and flavors that stay with me throughout the years. This tomato pie and I go back more than a decade to Salisbury, Connecticut, and a lovely tea café called Chaiwalla (named for the tea vendors in India) owned and tended to by Mary O’Brien. It was at Chaiwalla where I taught my very first cooking class in 1997. Over the course of several weekends, we got to know each other and I got to know Mary’s über-delicious tomato pie. A thin biscuit-style crust props up two pounds of ripe and juicy Roma tomatoes that are cushioned within a base of sharp aged cheddar and a combination of fresh and dried herbs. The tart is deceptive—while it appears fancy and sophisticated, it couldn’t be easier to make, being no more difficult than any rustic-style pie. I often add harissa to the mayonnaise base to give the pie a spiciness that works really well with the sweetness of the tomatoes. Mary insists that the pie is best made the night before you plan on serving it and reheated to serve (chill the cooked pie overnight and reheat it in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes). I trust her implicitly.

Serves 6 

For the biscuit crust

2 cups/250 g all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Hebron  or herbes de Provence

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons/90 g unsalted butter cut into small pieces

3/4 cup milk

 

For the pie

2 pounds/910 g Roma tomatoes or 2 25.5-ounce/725 g cans or jars of plum tomatoes, drained and tomatoes pressed between sheets of paper towels to remove excess moisture

2/3 cup/130 g store-bought or homemade mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon Herbes de Hebron (page 00) or herbes de Provence

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups/220 g grated aged cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon/15 g unsalted butter, melted

 

Place the flour, herbs, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until there aren’t any pieces larger than a small pea. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and pour in the milk, stirring it into the flour mixture until the mixture is shaggy and no wet spots remain. Knead just a few times to create a ball of cohesive dough. Use a knife to divide the ball into two pieces, one piece being slightly larger than the other.

 

Place the larger dough ball on a long sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper and cover with another sheet. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch/30.5 cm circle that is about 1/4-inch/6.5 mm thick and then place the circle on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for 20 minutes. Repeat with the other dough ball, rolling it out to a 12-inch/30.5 cm circle (it will be thinner than the first) and then placing it in the refrigerator to chill.

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place a large bowl filled with ice and water next to the sink. Slice a small X in the bottom of each tomato and then plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes to the ice water bath, adding more ice as it melts. Remove the tomatoes from the ice water bath and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then peel and slice them into 1/4-/6.5 mm to 1/2-inch/1.25 cm thick rounds (if using canned plum tomatoes, skip this step). Carefully remove the seeds and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Herbes de Hebron or herbes de Provence and set aside.

 

Remove the thicker dough circle from the refrigerator and peel off the top layer of plastic or parchment, using the bottom sheet to transfer the crust to a 9-inch/23 cm pie plate. Trim any overhang to just 1/2-inch/1.25 cm over the edge of the dish. Brush the dough with the oil and then arrange half of the tomatoes in overlapping layers in the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle with half of the basil and the chives, season with salt and pepper, and finish with an even layer of 1 cup/110 g of the cheese. Layer the remaining tomatoes over the cheese, sprinkle with the remaining basil and chives, season with salt and pepper, cover with the herbed mayonnaise, and then finish with the remaining 1 cup/110 g of cheese.

 

Remove the other rolled out crust from the refrigerator, peel off the top sheet of plastic or parchment, invert the dough over the top of the tart, and peel away the remaining sheet of plastic. Fold the overhang under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the edges to seal. Brush the top of the crust with the melted butter.

 

Bake the pie until the crust is golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 1 hour before serving warm or cool longer and serve at room temperature.

Comments

[Charlie]

Without a doubt, one of my favorite dishes...especially when served with a salad of spicy greens and a delicious glass of chilled Falanghina!

Too, my very first memory of Chaiwalla was with Suvir and watching him swell with joy as we walked in to see Mary and her team serving up delicious bites across a crowded room...and of course as he gazed at the long line of cakes, and pies, and other tasty sweets that lined one whole wall. We sat for hours nibbling and laughing...and teasing!

#Joy!

[RaffaelaMarie Fenn]

Suvir: this sounds amazing; I want to make it right away. However, since my heart surgery and stroke, I'm now gluten-free; can my gluten-free flower be substituted cup for cup?
Hope all is well; your picture looks amazing! Mark & I miss you.
Friend, please take good care,
Marie

[Suvir]

Marie, I am glad you are post all that stuff. Sorry that I am only now finding out about these things. Have not tried cup for cup, will you and let me know?
Mark and you will have to come visit us in India. Charlie and I would LOVE to see you and host you.
Glad you like this. I promise you that it will taste great