End of Summer Tomato Pie

I pulled up my cherry tomato plant, and this pie used up the last garden tomatoes! I really really love tomato pie - made the way my family makes it, covered in a mayo-cheese mixture in a buttery pie crust, it is probably one of the least healthy and most delicious way to enjoy tomatoes. 

END OF SUMMER TOMATO PIE

1 pie dough (I used the same pie dough that I used for the butternut squash galette because it's amazing but any savory dough will be good)

1/2 onion, sliced 

1 tsp butter

pinch salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup mozzarella, grated

pinch cayenne & salt & pepper

2 tbsp parmesan, grated

fresh herbs - I used sage this time but basil is traditional

Heirloom Cherry Tomato Pie

Heirloom tomatoes have been bred naturally for generations to taste amazing. Each one has a specific origin and (usually) a cute name. I used a mixture of black cherry and sungold tomatoes as well as a few grape tomatoes that I acquired at the farmer's market (the ones we're growing aren't quite ripe yet). I found this recipe in the most recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens (so domestic, I know). The double crust recipe is from the Encyclopedia of Baking. I barely got a picture before the pie was demolished!

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp ice water

Filling:
4 cups cherry tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch green onions
2 tbsp olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup mayonaise
1 heaping tbsp dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup mozzarella cheese

For the crust: Mix the flour and the salt together. Cube the cold butter. Then in a food processor, process until the mixture resembles large, coarse crumbs. Then use a fork to stir in one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough just barely comes together. The less water you use, the better your crust will be. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make assemble the pie filling. Roughly chop the basil. Saute the green onions until slightly brown. Slice half of the tomatoes in half and mix the the whole cherry tomatoes. Mix in the green onions in and then toss with olive oil, half of the basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside. In another bowl, mix the goat cheese, mozzarella, mayonaise, mustard, and egg yolk together.
Roll out the dough (it will be thick since it is a double crust recipe) and place into pie pan. Prick with a fork all over the crust, cover loosely with foil, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Then remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more. Take the pie out of the oven and turn down the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the creamy filling over the bottom of the crust and then top with the tomato mixture, pressing the tomatoes into the cheese. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the tomatoes are slightly browned and the crust is a nice golden brown. Check on the pie about halfway and if the crust is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil. Let the pie rest for about 15 minutes to half an hour depending on how much patience you have! Garnish with the rest of the fresh basil.

Mulberry Pie

Mulberries are in season and there's a tree right in our backyard! In fact, there are trees everywhere in Pittsburgh. They look like a little blackberry but are much softer and milder in taste. There are also golden mulberries around which are a superfood. For this recipe Nick, Laura, and Twilly had to scavenge around the block to look for enough berries. I owe this delicous pie to their hard work! The recipe is a compilation of a couple different ones including one from a cookbook my dad gave to me, The Encyclopedia of Baking. We served this for Father's Day dinner.

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 sticks cold butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup ice water (or less)

Filling:
3 cups mulberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup tapioca flour

Slice the butter into cubes. Then mix the dry ingredients in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like large, coarse crumbs. Then mix the egg yolk with the ice water. With a fork add the liquid mixture into the dry mixture bit by bit just until the dough starts to come together. The less water you use, the better your crust will be. Knead it together just to get it into a ball. Wrap in aluminum foil and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, pick the berries. Mix them together with the sugar and tapioca. Don't be afraid to smush the berries a little. Set aside.
Then roll out one half of the dough in some extra flour to one inch bigger than the bottom of your pie pan. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough up and roll it out into the pie pan. Be careful not to stretch the dough. Pour the filling into the crust and place in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the other half of the dough just a little bigger than the pie plate. Use fun cookie cutters to cut out patterns if desired. Place on top of the pie and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal the filling in.

If no cut outs were used, just cut some slits on top of the pie. Brush with some milk and place in the oven for about 30-45 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream : )