How to Make Tomato Pie

What to do when you have  a tomato avalanche?  Make pie!  And here's a simple recipe using ingredients you probably already having laying-about in your kitchen and freezer.

Start with a frozen pie crust and prick it all over with a fork.  Line the top of the crust with foil - pressing it down and crimping it around the edges.  Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Reduce the oven to 350, remove the foil and bake and additional 10 minutes until golden brown.  Set aside to cool completely.

click on images to enlarge

 

Take a big pile of cherry tomatoes - red and yellow impart a pleasing result to both the eye and palate - and cut them in halves or quarters depending upon size.  Set aside to drain in a bowl lined with paper towels.  Swap-out the towels periodically until a large portion of the clear juices have been absorbed.

In another bowl whisk-together 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with oregano, basil, fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.  Stir-in the tomatoes and set aside.

Slice some pitted kalamata Greek olives  - maybe a half to 2/3 cup give or take.  Set aside.

Coarsely-grate some cheese.  I used Mexican cheese because that was what I had.  Crumbled goat cheese would be excellent too.  Consider the choice of cheese a personal taste.  Figure on a cup.  Set aside.

Return your olive and spice-infused tomatoes to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain just a bit.

Add your tomatoes to the pie crust and bake uncovered for 14-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Remove and top with the olives followed by the cheese.  Sprinkle some basil over the top and bake for an additional 10 minutes at 400 or until the cheese melts and begins to brown.  Note:  crumbled goat cheese and other cheeses will behave differently.

Remove from the oven and allow to set for about 10 additional minutes and serve.

Jill and I ate the whole dang thing in one sitting.  This was a nice blend of flavors including the tang of the tomatoes, earthiness of the EVO, saltiness of the olives and dairy cheese.

Already thinking of variations to include fresh spinach, baby mozzarella, flat bread, pizza crust and more.

Cheers!