Masticating in the City: Cheesy Tomato-y Pie

This summer I have become addicted to tomatoes. I don't mean the fancy rainbow colored heirlooms that create mass hysteria at the Greenmarket and are featured in New York Magazine. I'm into big, red, New Jersey grown Beefsteak tomatoes.

Sliced thick, sprinkled with salt and placed atop a buttered English Muffin, delicious. They are awesome roughly cut and tossed with a little lemon juice and pepper. And now I have found they are phenomenal baked into a pie.

It's an idea that has been rolling around in my head for a few weeks now. Take pie crust, fill with sliced tomatoes, bake, eat. I googled tomato pie and found that it is something Southerners are quite proud of. Theirs however is usually made with green tomatoes and served for dessert.

I could make a tomato tart or quiche but I was set on a pie, pure and simple. Divine inspiration struck when I realized I could use cheese in between the layers of tomato and thus my tomato pie was born:

Lauren's Cheesy Tomato-y Pie

1-box Pillsbury pie crust (it comes in a red box in the freezer section)

1/2 lb Goat Cheese; herbed is fine if you prefer.

3 Large Ripe Beefsteak Tomatoes; 4 if they are small

Salt

Pepper

Pam spray or butter

Place a sheet tray in center rack of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. The preheated tray in the oven will help the bottom crust bake evenly, like a pizza stone. Take pie crust out of the refrigerator and thaw for 20-30 minutes. Drape dough over oiled (Pam or butter) pie pan and push into bottom and then against the sides of the pan. If dough breaks, push back together gently with fingers. If it hangs over the edges simply take a small knife and trim off, free-form. Place pie crust into oven for 8 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

While crust bakes slice your tomatoes and place in a colander to drain. Sprinkle with salt, which will help the tomatoes dispose of excess moisture. Cut goat cheese into thin rounds.

When pie crust is completely cooled place 1/2 goat cheese rounds in the bottom of the pan overlapping the edges slightly. Layer tomato slices once again making sure that the tomatoes overlap slightly. Cover with more cheese and them top with a layer of tomato. You may have some tomato/cheese left over. That's fine. Save for a salad the next day.

Cover pie with tin foil, poke holes into the foil with a fork or knife and place back into the oven for an additional 8 minutes. The foil will prevent the crust from burning and the tomatoes from browning.

Remove from oven. Cool and enjoy!

I recommend pairing your tomato pie with a lightly dressed salad and crisp white wine that is not too acidic, maybe a Spanish Albarino or Muscadet-your favorite sparkling white would be lovely too. We had ours with a Moroccan Red (pictured below) which stood up nicely, it had an alluringly exotic orange peel finish to it. Although we had this as a light summer supper it would make a beautiful luncheon or brunch item.