Southern Tomato Pie
When I first tasted tomato pie, I was hooked. The basil and the cheese with the tomatoes and pie crust are so hard to resist!
My brother-in-law’s mother introduced me to tomato pie. My sister brought some leftovers home from Thanksgiving dinner for me to try. Tomato pie was new to me even though I was born and raised in the south. Now I make tomato pie every year when my garden produces Roma tomatoes.
What are Roma Tomatoes?
Before we get into what Roma tomatoes are, we need to talk about the first tomatoes.
The First Tomatoes
Tomatoes originated in South American. As with other fruits and vegetables in the Americas, the Spanish brought them back to Europe in the 1600s.
The Southern Europeans loved the tomato and readily ate it. The Northern Europeans, however, were not so sure about this “wolf peach.” They believed it to be poisonous. Eventually, they changed the name to “love apple” after some thought it was an aphrodisiac.
The tomato arrived in America in the 1700s. Thomas Jefferson began growing them which helped boost their popularity. Soon, everyone ate this juicy fruit.
Roma Tomatoes
Cultivators began improving the tomato. Over the years, the Roma tomato appeared. The USDA developed it in 1955.
Roma tomatoes have thick walls making them one of the meatiest tomatoes. It is pear-shaped and grows determinately (meaning it grows to a specific height and then stops). Romas make the best tomato paste and are the best canning tomato. They also give the tomato pie its great tomato flavors!
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes
- Shredded cheese (pre-shredded doesn’t melt as well as shredding your own)
- Pie shell
- Dried basil
- Mayonnaise (We prefer Duke’s Mayonnaise.)
- Pie pan
- Bowl
Instructions
Bake pie shell for 5 minutes in a 350ºF oven. While the pie shell bakes, peel the tomatoes. Then scoop out the seeds and slice. Once out of the oven, place sliced tomatoes in the pie shell. Combine mayonnaise, cheese, and basil in a bowl. Spread over tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350ºF oven.
Once baked, remove from oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes. The cheese is hot! Then enjoy.
Tomato Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie shell
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 8-10 Roma tomatoes, peeled, sliced, and seeded
- ¼ cup dried basil
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Bake pie shell for 5 minutes in a 350ºF oven.
- Place sliced tomatoes in the pie shell.
- Combine mayonnaise, cheese, and basil.
- Spread over tomatoes.
- Bake for 30 minutes in a 350ºF oven.
- Remove from oven, and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.
This tomato pie recipe is a must on any dinner menu! So much yumminess in one dish.
