Cheddar Heirloom Tomato Pie Recipe

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: American cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories while maintaining flavor.

pie crust

🥗Healthier: whole wheat crust

💰Cheaper: store-bought crust

Whole wheat crust adds fiber without sacrificing taste.

To make the shortcrust pasty, place the plain flour, the diced butter, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, the black pepper, and the dried thyme into a food processor. Pulse the mixture in short bursts until it begins to resemble breadcrumbs. Keep pulsing in short bursts until the ingredients begin to form larger clumps. It may be necessary to add a tablespoon of water if this does not happen. As soon as the pastry begins to form, stop pulsing, remove the pastry from the food processor and form it into a ball.

Wrap the ball of pastry in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.

Remove the pastry from the fridge, coat a clean surface with little flour, unwrap the pastry and place it onto the floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out until it is roughly ⅓-inch thick.

Carefully lift the pastry and place it into a 9-inch pie dish. Press it into the shape of the dish and then trim the edges. Place the pastry back into the fridge for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line the pastry with baking paper and add pie weights, then bake the pastry for 20 minutes. Remove the pie weights and the parchment paper, and continue to bake the pastry case for another 10 minutes until it is set and lightly colored. Place to one side and allow to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F.

To prepare the tomatoes, slice them into ½-inch thick pieces and place them onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and add the sliced garlic and the fresh thyme stalks to the baking tray. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. This will help to remove some of the excess liquid in the tomatoes.

When the tomatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.

On the stove, using a medium-sized frying pan, gently fry the diced onion and bacon with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until the onion is translucent and the bacon is turning crisp and golden around the edges. Leave the mixture to cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and the egg until they are combined. Then, stir in the cooled onion and bacon, 2 cups of cheddar, the fresh chives, and the fresh basil.

To prepare the pie for baking, preheat the oven to 375 F. Gather together the cooled pie crust, the tomatoes, the mayonnaise mixture, and the breadcrumbs. Begin by spreading half of the mayonnaise mixture onto the base of the pie crust. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs on top of the mayonnaise, and then layer half of the tomatoes on top. Repeat the process with the other half of the ingredients, first the mayonnaise, then the breadcrumbs, and finally the remaining tomatoes.

Place the tomato pie into the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure that the pie crust isn't browning too much. If it is, cover the pie with tin foil for the remainder of the cook time.

Once the pie is ready, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 30 minutes, then optionally top with more fresh chives and/or basil before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens