Southern Tomato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Butter (cold and cubed)
• 3-4 Tablespoons Ice Water
• 4 Large Tomatoes
• 1 1/4 Cups Cheddar Cheese (freshly grated, divided)
• 1 1/4 Cups Mozzarella Cheese (freshly grated, divided)
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
• Black Pepper
• 1/3 Cup Basil Leaves (fresh )
• 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make the Pie Crust: ---

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

3. 3

   Prepare the pie crust by mixing the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.

4. 4

   Add the cold butter. Using a pastry cutter (trust me, it's worth the couple of bucks), cut the fat into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas.

5. 5

   Using a tablespoon, add a little water to the flour mixture at a time, using a fork to stir everything together until the dough just comes together. It should not be smooth and soft like cookie dough, but instead a little more flaky until you squeeze it together.

6. 6

   Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap, shaping it into a ball.

7. 7

   Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle.

8. 8

   Place in a pie dish and trim any overhanging dough, leaving a good inch around the lip. Crimp this dough and prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust.

9. 9

   Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup mozzarella and place in a 450 degree F oven for 10 minutes.

10. 10

    Remove from the oven to cool while you prepare the filling.

11. 11

    --- Make the Filling: ---

12. 12

    Slice the tomatoes thin and place on a double layer of paper towels

13. 13

    Lightly salt tomato slices and leave them for 10 minutes. The salt will pull out excess water which the paper towels will sop up so you don't have a wet pie. Pat the tops dry before assembling.

14. 14

    Separate the remaining cheese into 3 different bowls. In one small bowl, combine 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese in a small bowl. Set aside. This will be your filling cheese.

15. 15

    In another bowl, add 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, toss to combine and set aside for the topping.

16. 16

    In a third small bowl combine remaining 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses and mayonnaise together.

17. 17

    Sprinkle tomato slices with the garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper to taste. Layer 1/3 of the tomato slices, 1/3 of the filling cheese, and 1/3 of the basil. Repeat layers ending with tomatoes and then spread the cheese and mayonnaise mixture all over the top. Sprinkle the third bowl of cheese all over the top.

18. 18

    Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F and bake the pie uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Cool before serving.