Tomato Pie with Heirloom Tomatoes & Arugula Salad
I remember watching an episode of The Chew and watching them make Tomato Pie & talking about how it’s one of the best kept secrets when it comes to Southern food staples. This sweet girl came on the show and talked all about loving her grandmother’s tomato pie (that’s what she was making), & I remember thinking it was the cutest thing ever. That and it was something the Pioneer Woman also probably eats at her house. So with a spare pie crust in my freezer, the time is right to devote our midweek vegetarianism to Tomato Pie.
With all the cauliflower gnocchi that’s been going down in this house, this was a fun mix-up for a vegetarian meal. & that’s always my quest - some fun new, way to load my plate with veggies that’s outside the box, different, and seasonally appropriate. Tomato Pie checks all those boxes. Loads of heirloom tomatoes that are thinly sliced & layered over a bed of caramelized onions in a buttery & flakey pie crust. The different shades of red & yellow & green that you get in a mixed box of heirlooms creates the perfect color palate, and they’re the perfect bite of freshness to balance out buttery, soft caramelized onions.
What stands out the most in this pie - the herbs. The fresh herbs aren’t just sprinkled in - they’re full fledged in this bitch. A hearty amount of parsley & thyme are mixed in with the caramelized onions to make the most buttery ingredient of this dish feel brighter & fresher. & with a budding herb garden in our yard for the first time in our life (we tried in Arizona but miserably failed), I’m here for any recipe that requires me to do a quick harvest in the backyard. Heading out back with some kitchen shears to snip some fresh thyme sprigs or parsley makes me feel like the domestic girl I strive to be. & also fresh thyme - literally if you’re going to plant anything in your garden thyme should be it. The fresh stuff looks different, the thyme leaves are so much bigger than what you get in a pre-packed container, & the smell - so good! It’s so yummy & bright that it has made me want to punch myself in the face for ever f*cking with the store bought stuff. Bringing in a handful of fresh herbs during dinner prep fills the kitchen with this smell that’s better than a freshly lit candle, and it always prompts my husband to comment on how good things are smelling while veggies are being chopped.
A quick salad to go with our tomato pie was the extent of our backyard meal, & for me it’s always arugula or bust. Arugula is peppery, & a refreshing green that I use as my base for almost every salad that’s served in this house. I thought something a little sweeter would go really well with a super savory pie, so I went with a Simple Arugula Salad tossed with a honey vinaigrette & slices of honey-crisp apple.
For a salad to be great, it needs something special. Like something grilled or roasted or a rare farmer’s market find. The something special in this one is candied walnuts. Whole & raw baking nuts tossed in maple syrup, brown sugar, & a pinch of salt for sweet & salty candied nuts that are a perfect salad topping. & be warned - they’re very tempting to snack on during the cooking process. We may or may not have eaten the whole batch in the matter of 2 days because everytime we walked by the jar of candied nuts, it was too tempting to not grab a couple freshies. They’re just really fucking good, and they turned my anti-nut eating husband into a grade-A walnut snacker.
In the end I just wanted a meal that i could dive into. Something that required my time + attention + paired perfectly with a work break & BH90210 in the background. So many meals have been kinda rushed in our house these days - good but slightly rushed. A lot of throwing in a little bit of this & a little bit of that, not paying attention to cooking times or ingredients, and not really take the time to write down what’s going in or be super thoughtful about making it look next level good. We’ve had a lot of tasty and healthy meals, but they just haven’t felt super purposeful., which is a slightly disappointing. But this week I set the intention to make sure I’m consistent. I know that having a thoughtful, balanced, and put together plate to look forward to at night, and a recipe I want save to go along with it, is something that makes me feel like I’m doing something right. & it’s that tangible proof that I’m taking the time in my day to do something that’s important to me. So this was my reset to take my time in putting together a summer picnic inspired dinner that was colorful, bright, & required me to be in my cooking element for just a bit. Icing on the cake - it prompted a few solid hours of patio chillin’ to wind down from the daily grind.
For the Tomato Pie
1 frozen pie dough of any kind, completely thawed
2 lb heirloom tomatoes
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. mayo
3 tbsp fresh parsley + a little extra for garnish
3 tbsp fresh thyme
EVOO
Salt & pepper
For the Salad
2 c. walnuts, raw & un-toasted
1/4 c. maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 c. EVOO
1/4 c. Dijon
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. honey
Salt & pepper
3-4 c. arugula
1 honey crisp apple, quartered, cored, & thinly sliced
1/4 c. goat cheese crumbles
Turn the oven on to 350. First step is making sure your pie dough is completely thawed. Lay it in a glass or ceramic pie dish, draping the edges over side of you pie pan and crimping for uniformity. Refrigerate for 20 minutes so it can firm back up.
Next, slice your tomatoes into 1/4 inch disks. Let them sit in a colander so excess juices can drain out, leaving them to drain for about 20 minutes.
Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add in a tablespoon of EVOO and your onions. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the onions cook on medium for 20 minutes so they become soft & caramelized, stirring every 4-5 minutes. Reduce the heat if they begin to char. Remove the onions from the heat when they’ve finished cooking. In a separate bowl, mix together the mayo, cheese, & herbs. Add in the caramelized onions and set aside.
Remove the pie crust from the fridge, stab the bottom with a fork a couple times (crucial step), and bake for 10 minutes. Once completed, crank the oven heat to 375. Next, add in the caramelized onion filing, spreading in an even layer along the the bottom of the crust. Next, lay your sliced tomatoes on top. It’s ok to have a couple layer of tomatoes (I did). Just spread them out - mixing the tomatoes to have a multi-colored top layer. Drizzle with just a touch of EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 50 minutes.
Next step is to make your nuts. In a large bowl, mix together the walnuts, syrup, sugar, and about 1/4 tsp of salt. Lay them on a foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. Throw them in the oven with the pie or in a separate oven set at 375 for 20-25 minutes, watching the nuts carefully to make sure they don’t burn. The liquid will begin to bubble as the sugar caramelizes, and the nuts will begin to brown. When the nuts are removed, the liquid will remain syrupy & sticky, and it will harden as it dries. When the nuts are completely cooled, you’ll be able to scrape them off the pan and break them apart.
In a separate jar with a lid, add in the 1/4 c. EVOO, mustard, honey, & vinegar. Screw the lid on tight and shake until the oil is emulsified. Set in the fridge.
Last step is assembling the salad. Place the arugula in a serving bowl. Sprinkle in about a 1/2 c. of candied nuts right on the lettuce, and fan out the apple slices on the very top. Sprinkle the goat cheese crumbles & a few more nuts right on top for a finishing touch, adding a little bit of leftover thyme if you’d like.
When the pie has finished baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of fresh parsley and serve in wedges right along the salad. You can have your guests serve themselves & let them pour some fresh dressing right on top of their plates.
