Tomato Pie

During my last year of high school I was an exchange student to New Zealand.  One of my friends there was from Sweden.  One night she invited me for dinner, and she had made a recipe from Sweden - tomato pie.  I was in heaven.  My grandma taught me to love tomatoes and I frequently eat them as she does - only with salt.  So when I had this tomato pie, I fell in love.  I am sure I asked her for the recipe, but I never made it and have since lost the recipe.  When I visited her in Sweden some years later, she made it for me again....and again I was in love.  So when I saw this recipe from America's Test Kitchen, I knew it was time that I tried to make it.  I still long for the recipe my friend gave me all those years ago, but this one was a very good replica even if it didn't have the wonderful memories attached to that Swedish tomato pie.

Summer Tomato Pie

Double crust pie dough  (see below)

2 pounds tomatoes (I used roma), thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

4-5 scallions sliced

Double crust pie dough

2 1/4 flour

8 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

cold water

Directions:  Mix flour with cold butter and salt until the dough resembles small crumbs.  Add cold water until a ball of dough comes together.  Divide into two pieces for a top and a bottom dough.  (Refrigerate until you roll it out.)

Layer the thinly sliced tomatoes on paper towels/cutting boards to drain off as much water as possible.  Sprinkle with salt to avoid for more weeping.  Press dry with paper towels.  Roll out your dough and place one round in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll out the top round as well and also place that in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 450F.  Spread a layer of shredded cheese on the bottom of the pie dough.  Mix the mayonnaise, cornstarch, and remaining cheese in a bowl.  Place a third of the tomatoes on top of the cheese.  Then sprinkle half of the cheese and mayonnaise mixture over the tomatoes.  Place another layer of tomatoes over the cheese.  Sprinkle the last of the cheese on top and place the remaining tomatoes on top.  Sprinkle the scallions on top (or between each layer if desired).  Arrange the crust on top of the pie and press the edges together.  Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 10 minutes.  Then reduce the heat to 325F and baked until the crust is golden brown, about 50-60 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack until room temperature.  Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.  (The next day I put it in the microwave for a minute just to slightly warm it up and bring out the flavors.)

Italian Potato Pie

When I first met my husband I discovered that he really loved Italian food.  Since I love to cook, I wanted to impress him with cooking good food for him, however, his family does not make Italian food from Italy, they make immigrant Italian food.  Once I realized the kind of food he loved I searched for a cookbook to give me ideas of what I could make for him that would be more similar to the food he was accustomed to eating.  I came across a recommendation for an out-of-print cookbook called Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking.  Never before have I read a cookbook that sometimes measures garlic in cups (see below).  However, everything which I have tried out of this cookbook has turned out very good.  Watch the portion sizes though as this states that it serves 6, but I really think it would serve 8 especially if you have other things to eat like a nice green salad.  This will also reheat well as long as your Parmesan or Romano cheese is thinly shredded instead of big pieces.

Italian Potato Pie

Crust: 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt.  Work the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the flour mixture is in small crumbs.  Add the water and mix to form into a ball.  Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.  Roll out the dough and then press into a large pie dish.  Set aside.

Potato Layer:

6 cups potatoes, cubed

1 cup cream, 2% milk, half & half

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

Cover the potatoes with water in a large pot.  Bring to a boil and boil until tender.  Pour the potatoes into another bowl and whip them with the half & half, olive oil and butter until fluffy.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.   (As an alternative you can use an immersion blender and save a bowl.)

Tomato Layer:

6 cups tomatoes, diced

2 1/2 cups diced Mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon oregano

2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Stir all ingredients together and set aside.

Bread Crumb Layer:

4 cups fine Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup olive oil

1 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/8 cup minced garlic

1/2 cup parsley

2 eggs

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Set aside.

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Spread one half of the whipped potato mixture over the pie crust.  Add half of the tomato mixture, then one half of the bread crumb mixture.  Repeat the layering in the same order with the second half of each mixture.  Bake the pie until the crust and the bread crumbs are golden brown, which should be about 30 minutes.  Slice and serve hot, though this does reheat well.

Serves 6