Summer Dinner: Tomato, Bacon, and Cheddar Pie

Fun fact: two years ago on Labor Day I was making tomato pie for a summer dinner party when I went into labor with J; so it seemed only appropriate that I should make it again! This time I decided to try a mouthwatering recipe I stumbled across in Southern Living. Traditionally tomato pie is very simple: tomatoes, vidalia onions, cheese, mayo, and pie crust. There are so many elements about this recipe that take tomato pie to the next level – the bacon crust, the dill, the hint of cider vinegar. Normally I’m a huge advocate of cutting corners and buying a frozen pie crust, but in this case the homemade crust is everything. And I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was. Using a food processor for the butter and flour part definitely speeds things up and then you can just stir in the sour cream and bacon in a mixing bowl. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

Crust
2 1/4 cups self-rising soft-wheat flour
1 cup cold butter, cut up 8 cooked bacon slices, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream

Filling
2 3/4 pounds assorted large tomatoes, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) freshly shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh dill sprigs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons plain yellow cornmeal

To prepare the crust, place flour in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer or food processor; cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Chill 10 minutes.

Add bacon to flour mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Gradually add sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Spoon mixture onto a heavily floured surface; sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead 3 or 4 times, adding more flour as needed. Roll to a 13-inch round. Gently place dough in a 9-inch fluted tart pan with 2-inch sides and a removable bottom. Press dough into pan; trim off excess dough along edges. Chill 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Cut 2 lb. tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and remove seeds. Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°. Stir together cheddar cheese, next 10 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl until combined.

Pat tomato slices dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle cornmeal over bottom of crust. Lightly spread 1/2 cup cheese mixture onto crust; layer with half of tomato slices in slightly overlapping rows. Spread with 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Repeat layers, using remaining tomato slices and cheese mixture. Cut remaining 3/4 lb. tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and arrange on top of pie.

Bake at 425° for 40 to 45 minutes, shielding edges with foil during last 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 1 to 2 hours before serving.

recipe via Southern Living