Thursday, August 20, 2009

Make Me Some Pie!


Hats off to Martha Stewart and Evan Kleiman, Los Angeles' Angeli Caffe chef/owner and KCRW's "Good Food" host, for suggesting this can't miss recipe -- Tomato Pie.

I'm not a big Martha Stewart fan but this recipe works. When you bite into this sweet and savory pie, think fresh -- as in the freshest tomato sauce you've ever tasted. The filling is simple and combines fresh flavors of the season -- basil, onion, garlic, and two pounds of assorted homegrown cherry tomatoes. Top it with grated Gruyere cheese, cook for 50 minutes, cool before slicing and enter tomatoey heaven!

Here's the recipe -- I preferred the single-crust version.

Tomato Pie

MAKES ONE 10-INCH PIE; SERVES 8

Gruyère cheese and cherry tomatoes provide a savory version of that summer classic, the double-crusted fruit pie. Resist the temptation to eat this pie straight from the oven. Wait until it has reached room temperature; the juice from the tomatoes will have had time to collect. Serve it as a light lunch or as a side dish.

Ingredients

» 2¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
» 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
» 2½ teaspoons sugar
» 1¼ cups grated Gruyère cheese
» 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
» 1 large onion, diced
» 3 garlic cloves, minced
» 2 pounds assorted cherry tomatoes
» ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
» Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
» 1 large egg

Method

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 cup grated cheese. Add 1 cup butter pieces; process until mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. With machine running, gradually pour ¼ cup of ice water through the feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without becoming wet or sticky; do not process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount of the mixture together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

2. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour.

3. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.

4. Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Toss with remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1½ teaspoons sugar, and the basil and pepper; when the onion mixture is cooled, add to tomato mixture; toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to a deep 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Set aside.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out half the dough into a circle 1 inch larger than the pie plate. (The remaining dough may be frozen up to 2 months for later use.) Transfer rolled dough to top of plate; tuck in edges to seal. Make 3 to 4 small slits in the top crust; form a decorative edge.

6. In a small bowl, mix the egg with 1 teaspoon water for an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the crust; sprinkle the crust with the remaining ¼ cup of grated cheese.

Place the pie plate on a baking sheet to catch drips; bake until the crust is golden and the insides are bubbling, about 50 minutes. Bring to room temperature, and serve.

4 comments:

  1. Ooooh! This sounds wonderful! Truly needed some recipes to use up all our cherry tomatoes! Thank you!

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  2. Karen, How FUN!!!!!! I look forward to checking in with you often and seeing you more. See you Sunday! xo Christine Moore

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  3. That looks delicious! My Grandma would be proud of you making a pie from scratch. She taught me once but I've never done it. She also used to make noodles for chicken and noodles from scratch. I'll never forget what those tasted like.

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  4. It's in the oven as I write! I made a different crust - Canola Oil (less saturated fat than butter and cheese) and did not use a top crust. I'll sprinkle on some cheese when it's nearly finished baking. So much fun dining on our garden's produce!

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