Heirloom Tomato Pie

When colorful heirloom tomatoes finally arrive at the farmer’s market and you can smell their sweet, earthy scent a block away, you know it’s summertime. And what better way to use these prized tomato varieties than in an heirloom tomato pie? Their odd shapes and bright hues of red, orange, yellow, green and purple turn the savory summer pie into a work of art.

Dig out this heirloom tomato pie recipe as soon as you see these tomatoes pop up at markets and stores. Its homemade cheesy crust, herbed cream cheese filling and rustic tomato topping bake together until the tomatoes are caramelized. Their sweet flavor becomes more concentrated, and balances well with the herby, savory cheese.

What is tomato pie?

Tomato pie has a different definition in many regions of the United States. Here, though, our tomato pie starts with a homemade cheddar pie crust filled with an herby cream cheese filling and topped with slices of heirloom tomatoes. Everything is baked together into a savory, cheesy, earthy pie that’s perfect for a summer picnic or dinner on the patio.

Ingredients for Tomato Pie

• Heirloom tomatoes: Be very selective when picking out heirloom tomatoes. Choose ones that are firm and heavy but not hard or overly soft. The good ones have a strong, sweet, earthy smell. Any of the heirloom tomato varieties work. I like to pick tomatoes with a few different shades for a really vibrant tomato pie.
• Cheese: For this tomato pie, we need two types of cheese: shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese. The cheddar cheese goes into the crust. Grate the cheese fresh from the block, as shredded cheese contains cellulose, which negatively affects the taste and texture. The cream cheese is for the filling, and it should be softened to room temperature so it’s easy to whip up.
• Flour: We make a from-scratch pie crust for our tomato pie. Use all-purpose flour for a sturdy-yet-tender crust.
• Butter: The trick to a super flaky pie crust is keeping the butter as cold as possible. I always cube the butter and put it in the freezer while I prep the other pie ingredients.
• Half-and-half cream: Add just enough half-and-half to the dough so that it holds when pressed together. The dough shouldn’t become a ball in the food processor. You can use ice-cold water instead of half-and-half, but the crust won’t be nearly as flavorful.
• Bacon: Cook bacon until it’s crispy so it crumbles easily. Omit the bacon if you want a meat-free heirloom tomato pie.
• Herbs: Tomatoes are naturally earthy, and fresh herbs complement that flavor profile. We’ve included fresh basil, marjoram and thyme in the cream cheese filling.

Directions

Step 1: Blot the the tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the tomato slices in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let the tomatoes stand for 45 minutes, then pat them dry with more paper towels.

Editor’s Tip: Do not skip this step! It’s necessary to ensure the pie does not turn out watery.

Step 2: Make the cheesy pie crust

Meanwhile, place the cheese, all-purpose flour and remaining salt in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients together until blended. Add in the cold, cubed butter, and pulse until the butter is the size of peas.

While pulsing, add just enough of the half-and-half to form moist crumbs.

Editor’s Tip: Feel free to forgo the food processor and blend everything by hand. I recommend chopping up the shredded cheese a bit first.

Step 3: Flute the crust

No need to roll out the dough! Press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

Gently press the crumbled bacon into the dough.

Step 4: Par-bake the pie crust

Bake the pie crust for 20 to 22 minutes until it’s light golden brown. Cool the pie crust at room temperature on a wire rack.

Editor’s Tip: We don’t want to completely blind bake the crust, only par-bake it, since we’ll have to bake it longer later. We give the crust a head start because it takes longer to bake than the filling does.

Step 5: Whip up the filling

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend the cream cheese, herbs and garlic powder.

Use a rubber spatula or mini offset spatula to spread it over the cooled crust.

Step 6: Add the tomatoes

Top the pie filling with the tomato slices. Sprinkle them with the coarsely ground pepper.

Step 7: Bake the pie

Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes longer or until the edge is golden brown and the tomatoes are softened. Cool the heirloom tomato pie on a wire rack.

Recipe Variations

• Use a store-bought pie crust: I love this recipe’s homemade cheesy pie crust. However, if that feels like too much work for you, use one of the best store-bought pie crusts instead.
• Add cheese: Just before baking, top the tomatoes with more cheese, like Parmesan, shredded cheddar or mozzarella. This will cover the pretty tomatoes just slightly.
• Include more veggies: To add a little more fiber to the pie, layer in roasted red peppers or roasted zucchini rounds with the heirloom tomatoes.

How to Store Heirloom Tomato Pie

Once the heirloom tomato pie with cream cheese has cooled to room temperature, cover it tightly with storage wrap or transfer slices to an airtight container. It can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. It’s best eaten the day it’s made, though, because the crust gets a bit soggy as the days go on.

Can you freeze heirloom tomato pie?

No, you shouldn’t freeze heirloom tomato pie. Once thawed, the filling will separate, the tomatoes will lose their integrity and the crust will be soggy.

Heirloom Tomato Pie Tips

How do you serve heirloom tomato pie?

Serve heirloom tomato pie warm from the oven. I love it alongside simple summer salads, barbecued chicken or baked fish.

Why is my heirloom tomato pie soggy?

Your heirloom tomato pie might have become soggy if you didn’t draw out the excess water from the tomatoes with salt. We included this step in our recipe because otherwise, the tomatoes would leak too much of their juice into the filling and crust.

What tomatoes can you use if you can’t find heirloom tomatoes?

It’s really worth waiting for heirloom tomatoes to come into season, but if you’re keen to make this pie ASAP, use other types of tomatoes, tomatoes on the vine or beefsteak tomatoes.