Tomato Pie--A Slice of the South

A Yankee would think I was referring to a pizza. A Southerner would know I'm referring to this below....the recipe below is adapted from Paula Deen, but mainly based on reviewers' suggestions/comments from this site.

We just got back from our family vacation at Kiawah Island (right outside of Charleston, SC). That place is HEAVEN for my husband and myself. One of our traditions when we go with just the family, has become to eat a tomato pie from Rosebanks Farms for dinner one night. I've made a tomato pie before that was pretty good--but this one below was WAY better and more like the one we get at Kiawah. I highly recommend trying it! You can't go wrong with this recipe. 

TOMATO CHEESE PIE

Serves 6-8

5 tomatoes, peeled and sliced

Approximately 15 fresh basil leaves, chopped or shredded

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 cup chopped green onion OR 1 small onion, chopped

1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell

3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella

3/4 cup grated cheddar

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup light sour cream 

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes--this method sometimes did not work, according to reviews. So, I came up with my own method that seemed to work great: slice the tomatoes, lay them on several layers of paper towels, salt them, and let them sit for 10 minutes. Then, pat them down with more paper towels until more of the tomato juice has absorbed. (Yes, I realize this isn't as environmentally friendly--but suit yourself.)

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell.

Combine the grated cheeses, mayonnaise, sour cream, and salt and pepper together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. (Mine seemed to need slightly more than 30 minutes).

And since I always seem to overbake my crust, I added foil around the sides to cover up the crust and prevent burning and I'm happy to report that my system worked relatively well. Here's what it looked like going into the oven:

And here's the amazing goodness that came out of the oven:

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm. You will definately enjoy this--it was a real hit with the family. It would be wonderful to serve this tomato cheese pie with green beans/salad/crusty bread. YUM!

Y'all come back!