Finally, at long last, we have the top-rated #1 winner of the pie parade! This delicious, eclectic pie was inspired by smitten kitchen’s recipe, and then edited to the right level of moisture that I wanted for the inside of the pie by roasting the tomatoes instead of blanching them. The result is reminiscent of sun-dried tomatoes, and can be combined with various other veggies that roast well (leeks, spring garlic, etc.) to create fun variations on the filling for this pie.
Roasted tomatoes are a magical transformation of their fresh counterparts, but some types are too delicate for this process. I recommend a tomato that is likely to hold up in a roast and really retain a ton of flavor, such as Roma/plums, San Marzanos, or some local Heirlooms.
By switching to a cheddar cheese-infused crust, it really enhances the color and flavor to make this pie absolutely irresistible. Don’t forget to make some cute steam vents on top, they’ll brown up a bit at the end and show off this pie to make it a winner at any meal.
Recipe: Tomato and Corn Pie
Makes 8 servings
Based on smitten kitchen’s recipe
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2-4 Tbsp ice-cold water
- In mixing bowl combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Lightly stir in cheese.
- Sprinkle gradually with water and stir with a fork until all ingredients are moistened and can be gathered into a ball. Cut in half, and chill dough for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator.
For Filling:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3-4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1½ – 2lbs of julienned, pre-roasted plum tomatoes (or your variety of choice), pre-roasted and cooled for at least 15 minutes before prepping pie (Preheat oven to 375 F. Olive oil a baking sheet and toss tomatoes in salt, pepper and optionally herbs of choice before placing in oven for around 1 hour, moving them every 15 minutes with a spatula. Make sure to stir tomatoes back into their liquids and re-center in the pan each time. Take advantage of the heat on the edges of the baking sheet each time you move them around.)
- 1½ cups corn, cut fresh from the cob or frozen
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped chives
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- Roll out one half of the dough on a well-floured counter to fit a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it, or roll onto your rolling pin and unroll into pie dish. Pat the dough in with your fingers and trim any overhang.
- Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
- Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.
- Arrange half of roasted tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of the corn, basil, chives, salt, pepper, lemon mayonnaise and grated Cheddar cheese. Repeat layering with remaining halves of all filling ingredients.
- Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal.
- Cut steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons).
- Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
One response to “Entree: Cheddar, Corn, and Roasted Tomato Pie (Parade of Pies, Part 13)”
This sounds amazing and I love the idea of adding other veggies. Hope to try this out soon!