Easy & Oh-So-Tasty Tomato Pie Recipe

“There are two things in life that money can’t buy…it’s true love and homegrown tomatoes”…that’s according to a song my Aunt KK used to quote.   And I think there’s some real truth to that!   Money couldn’t…and didn’t buy the true love I found in my Resident Gardener.  And there is nothing like a homegrown tomato.  Homegrown tomatoes are far better, far healthier, far tastier, and far juicier than any tomato you could buy from the grocery store.  And friends…we are right in the middle of vine-ripe, homegrown tomato season.  Hooray!!!!  The highlight of our summer garden is when our tomatoes start to ripen…and since there are so many things we want to use them for it’s always a hard decision as to how to prepare them first.  Of course the easiest thing to do is simply slicing  them up and sprinkling some salt on them…mmmm good!  But one of my family’s favorites is Tomato Pie! It was the first thing I made this season so I just had to share this easy, oh-so-delicious favorite with you. It looks like pizza…but it’s not.  I serve it as a side dish…kind of a veggie & bread combo…but it really doesn’t matter because it is so, so tasty!

Ingredients for Tomato Pie

• 1 refrigerated pie crust (or homemade crust if you are so inclined)
• 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• Approx. 3 Tbs. fresh basil (cut into thin strips)
• Tomatoes (quantity varies depending on size….but probably 2-4 tomatoes)
• 1-2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions to Make Tomato Pie

• Lay pie crust into 9” tart pan.  Use a fork to prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust.
• Bake pie crust for 5 minutes at 400 degrees…then remove from oven.
• Sprinkle cheese into the baked pie crust and then top with basil (maybe about 2 Tbs. worth….or more depending on your taste buds.  I LOVE basil with any tomato dish, so I sprinkle it evenly over the pie to make sure every bite will have some basil on it.)
• Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick.  Lay tomatoes slices on top of cheese/basil and brush with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place tart on baking sheet and bake on lower rack for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees.
• Once you remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle more cut basil strips (maybe about 1 Tbs.) on top of the pie.

That’s it…it’s that simple! It’s so good and so fresh…and using basil and tomatoes you’ve grown in your own garden will give you an even greater sense of satisfaction.  Try it and I’m sure that your family will love you for it. Let me know what you think.

Doug will be sharing some tomato-growing tips later this week and I’ll be sharing some more tomato recipes at some point this summer…so be sure to check back in.

By the way, if you don’t have a tart pan, click here to go to a link to buy one like mine.

Enjoy!!!!