Labor Day may have come and gone but tomatoes are still ripe. Take advantage of the final weeks of summer with this rustic savory pie.
By Patty Price
Heirloom tomatoes look to be at the peak of their season around my neck of the woods and I’m not ready to say good-bye to Summer, not yet! I’ve been craving tomato pie for about a year and a half…so I figured there is no time like the present to indulge myself, husband and neighbors in this delicacy, if I don’t say so myself. I have a tomato pie board on Pinterest but the pie that really caught my eye was from a ripped out magazine page in a recipe file. I said it before and I guess it’s worth repeating – I’m not ready to give up paper, not yet!
Just like I’m not ready to give up paper, I’m still holding on to Summer and it’s still holding on to me, with temperatures in the 80s today and a forecast for almost 100 this weekend. I guess it will cool off soon enough but I’m in no hurry. And since I’m not a department store ready to put up my Christmas decorations before Halloween, I’m sticking with my tomatoes until the bitter end. That would be when the nights get cooler and the tomato skins start getting tough. We are not there yet. I know, I have a rich fantasy life when it comes to my garden and the limits of what it will produce in one too short of a season.
I’m glad I finally made my tomato pie, I’m pleased with this recipe and the buttermilk crust that gets wrapped up and over the top of the tomatoes layered on top with even more cheddar cheese. This tomato pie is fairly rich so I would serve it with a green salad on the side or maybe green beans. Definitely something green. 
Heirloom Tomato and Cheddar Pie with Buttermilk Crust
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
Labor Day may have come and gone but tomatoes are still ripe. Take advantage of the final weeks of summer with this rustic savory pie.
Ingredients
for the crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small 1/2″ cubes
- 1 cup buttermilk
for the heirloom tomato filling
- 2 lbs large ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4” slices
- 2 & 1/2 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar(8–9 ounces), I used Tillamook brand
- 1 scallion, trimmed and minced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sweet basil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal
Instructions
- use a 9″ standard Pyrex glass pie plate
for the crust
- Place the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together.
- Rub in the chilled butter cubes with your fingertips, until a few small lumps remain.
- Stir in the buttermilk and knead gently until mixture forms into a dough, remove from bowl and wrap in plastic, chill for 1 hour.
for the heirloom tomato filling
- Place tomato slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Place another layer of paper towels on top of tomato slices.
- Let stand for 30 minutes to remove some moisture.
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Roll out the dough between 2 layers of plastic wrap to a 11″ circle.
- Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and gently flip dough over to place in the pie plate, carefully peel off the remaining plastic wrap.
- Whisk the scallion, mayonnaise, basil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over the bottom of the crust.
- Top with 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
- Arrange 1/3 of tomato slices over cheese, slightly overlapping if needed.
- Spread half of mayo mixture over the tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of cheese, 1/2 of remaining tomatoes and remaining mayo mixture.
- Sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over mayo mixture, then remaining tomato slices.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese (about 1/2 cup) on top.
- Fold the overhanging crust up and over the edges of the tomatoes.
- Bake until pie crust is deep golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
- Tent pie with foil half way through baking time if the crust looks like it’s getting too dark.
- Let pie cool on a metal rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Main
