When life hands you a box of ripe tomatoes, don’t settle for a simple sandwich — think bigger. This tomato pie celebrates sun-warmed garden tomatoes, stacked with cheese, herbs and a flaky crust for a comforting, savory dish.
Last weekend our stepson Kevin, his wife Suzanne and their five children visited the lake for Emma’s eighth birthday. They arrived with a juicy cantaloupe and a generous box of tomatoes straight from Kevin’s mother’s garden. Fresh-from-the-vine tomatoes still warm from the sun are hard to beat, and this pie was the perfect way to showcase them.
I considered making jam or roasting the tomatoes for other dishes, but decided to try a tomato pie. We invited friends for dinner so we wouldn’t eat the whole thing ourselves — and that turned out to be wise. The pie disappeared fast.
Cook’s Tips:
Because this recipe is all about the tomatoes, choose the best, ripest ones you can find.
Note: the photo was taken after I gave the pie one extra layer of tomatoes late in the day. If you prefer, assemble and photograph before adding that final layer, then bake as directed.
If you prefer not to use mayonnaise, pesto makes a delicious substitute and adds another bright layer of flavor.
Tomato Pie
Ingredients
- 1 store-bought pie shell or homemade
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 8 to matoes or enough to make three layers of tomatoes
- 3 tablespoon Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). If your pie shell is frozen, thaw it first.
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Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella over the bottom of the pie shell. Slice tomatoes about 1/4-inch thick. Arrange a layer of tomato slices over the cheese and spread with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Add a layer of Gruyere, then sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper. Repeat with a second layer of tomatoes, the remaining tablespoon of mayonnaise, a dusting of oregano, salt and pepper, and half of the remaining mozzarella. Add the final tomato layer, more oregano, salt and pepper, and finish with the remaining mozzarella.
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Bake for 30–40 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned, the cheeses are melted and the tomatoes have softened.
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Let the pie rest a few minutes, then serve warm.