Tomato pie is all about things that taste good: gooey cheese, crust, and of course, tomatoes. This recipe is adapted from Paula Deen and was served on special occasions for brunch at The Lady and Sons Restaurant in Savannah.
I’ve made a few changes including some chopped jalapeño and Colby Jack cheese that for me makes it a bit more Texas savory and slightly less Italian. Regardless, it is a sure hit – albeit rich. These often look and smell amazing – creating multiple cases of “diners having eyes bigger than their stomachs”. This recipe is for mini-pies but they could still be shared.
Also, I use Campari tomatoes in this recipe. The Campari is a variety of sweet tomato that has most recently become more widely available. In Texas, they are grown in green houses outside of Marfa. They are beautiful red tomatoes and are less mealy than Roma’s which can be substituted if these are not available.
6 mini-pie shells in tins
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tsp of water
6 green onions, chopped
6 to 10 basil leaves, chopped
1 cup mozarella cheese
1 cup Colby Jack cheese
1/2 medium jalapeño, minced
1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s)
4 to 5 Campari tomatoes, sliced thin in 1/4″ slices (Roma tomatoes may be substituted)
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oven to 350F. Using a pastry brush, gently paint the bottom and sides of the pie shells with the egg wash. Bake for about 8 minutes until slightly brown.
Mix the green onion, mozzarella cheese, Colby Jack cheese, jalapeño, and mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste.
Salt the tomato slices to taste, and then arrange them in the bottom of the tart shells reserving one nice slice for the top. Sprinkle the basil over the tomatoes and then top with the cheese mixture and smooth the tops. Place a slice of tomato in the middle of the top of the tart for decoration.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden, brown, and bubbly. Serve warm.
Note: there is no national standard for the size of “mini pie crusts” that may be available in your market. This recipe scales well so it may need to be adjusted if your pie shells are larger. You can also adapt this for a larger deep dish pie although it may require more tomatoes and need to be baked for at least 30 minutes.
