Back in early April, Shug and Av put in our garden – tons of different tomato varieties, okra, bell peppers, crookneck squash, watermelons, blue dent corn…
Last night, we had an amazing tomato pie. We took basil from our herb garden, and picked tomatoes straight from the garden. They were still warm from the sunshine when I began slicing them.
Ingredients:
1 deep dish pie crust (make your own, or not…)
12 basil leaves
3 large tomatoes, sliced medium thickness. Dab them dry with paper towels.
3 oz. shredded Parmesan (approx.)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
splash buttermilk
1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced into medium thickness half-rings
6 oz. mozzarella, sliced (I love fresh mozz. but use the regular packaged kind for this, it was fine)
small amount olive oil for drizzling
salt, pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400*.
Take a handful of Parmesan and lightly cover the bottom of the pie crust:
In a circular fashion, put in the first of what will later be two layers of tomatoes:
Salt and pepper the tomatoes, then add half the Vidalia slices. Not too thin, because the onions give the pie a nice little crunch besides all that great flavor:
In a Ziploc bag, put the mayonnaise inside along with a splash of buttermilk. Close the bag and ‘squish’ it to mix the two. Cut a small opening into either of the bottom corners with scissors:
This way, you can use it pastry-bag style to add half of the mayonnaise/buttermilk mixture atop the onion layer.
Now add half the basil:
Add half the mozzarella slices and another handful of parmesan:
Now the whole process over again – tomato slices, salt & pepper, Vidalias, mayonnaise/buttermilk, cheeses. With your hands, gently press all the toppings down into the pie shell so it’s nice and compact.
Add a splash of olive oil on top…maybe a bit more salt & pepper if you like…
Place it on a baking sheet:
Start checking at 30 minutes, this was perfect at 35:
Yes, yes, yes.
First slice:
That was *fantastic*. The cheeses, the crunch and sweetness of the onion, and you can never go wrong with tomatoes and basil. If you eat it with a fork, you’ll maybe even (probably even?) want a spoon for the leftover juices. It’s that good.
I’ve had some great things happen the last few days – Leslie got engaged! And not only did she get engaged, she got engaged to a boy I have known, who has been one of my very best friends, since 6th grade (for those of you who know me from school, it’s Jeff!!! Yes!!).
Jeff and I met when I was in 6th grade and had P.E. at the same time. We always chose each other as square dancing partners (because, friends, six weeks of square dancing – and clogging – were taught each year of middle school).
If you ever feel like dosado-ing, or promenading, maybe even a half sashay – you can call on me. And while we’re at it, I do love to do the Virginia Reel, too! (…seriously, I do.)
Okay. Anyway. Leslie and Jeff are getting married! It makes me so happy to know that we went all the way through school together, even through college, so all this could happen. I set them up this past winter and it’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done in my whole life. Seeing their happiness has made my heart just *full*! Can’t wait for my boys, who already love their Aunt Leslie, to know that she and Uncle Jeff will always be together, and be there for them.
Aaaaahhhh….dreamy….
And! One of my other wonderful friends, Jenifer, just had a baby girl this past week. Can’t wait to get to see the whole beautiful family back at home. Those first few weeks are so busy, I’m hoping she will let me do a little housework for her while I visit. Jenifer’s a vegetarian so I’ll make one of these tomato pies to help fill her fridge so she doesn’t have to cook.
Oh, don’t you just love sweet little babies….