Omggg this pie, guys. Best use of tomatoes. Ever. This pie is summer cheesy perfection: sweet and savory, decadent yet light. Downright delicious!!! We're adding it to our recipe rotation, for sure! Plus with a paleo (grain free + dairy free) crust, it's a bit more healthful than a normal crust, so it's totally acceptable to eat it at any and all meals, multiple days in a row.
Check out these cheese bubbles.
YUM. I like tomatoes, but I LOVE roasted and sun=dried tomatoes. If you're like me and appreciate that more concentrated flavor then you'll love this pie! It's packed with 2.5 pounds of tomatoes - make sure you get good ones! And a whole lot of Parmesan, garlic and herbs to complement the tomatoes. And of course the secret ingredient to the creaminess - mayo!! The combination of mayo, cheese and herbs is what made it feel more like a French tart to me. I saw the recipe and just knew the flavors would meld perfectly. It was a "make ASAP" moment.
The Process
I followed this Bon Appetit recipe for the pie with a few modifications:
+ Made my own grain free crust with Earth Balance (recipe below, adapted slightly from Paleo Running Mama)
+ Only had garlic powder, so I substituted that (but I do recommend actual garlic!!)
+ Used only Parmesan cheese
+ Subbed vegan mayo for regular mayo since that's what I had on hand
I'm *sure* the Wheat Thin crust would be amazing, but I wanted to use ingredients I already had. Plus, paleo crusts tend to be a bit more crumbly and filling because of the use of nut flours. We're all about them lately!
This pie takes some time, but it's totally worth it. Start with good tomatoes. I used a bunch of different heirloom ones from the Arlington farmer's market, including a big yellow one (which tend to be sweeter).
While they're roasting you can make your crust, or use whichever one you have on hand (I do like some pre-made ones!!).
After your tomatoes are roasted and your crust is pre-baked a bit, layer in the tomatoes and filling (this is just the first two layers!):
After you do all four layers (cheese mix- tomatoes - cheese mix - tomatoes) and add the shallots on top, it may look a little dry, like how can this bubble up? FEAR NOT IT WILL.
One hour later...magic will ensue. Trust me! Let it cool for about an hour and then dig right in. The pie will keep in the fridge for a few days, if it lasts that long.
Here's our summer 2022 version:
Roasted Tomato, Parmesan and Garlic Pie with a Paleo Crust
Ingredients
Crust
- Your favorite quiche or pie crust OR for a paleo version:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 Tablespoons coconut flour
- ⅔ cup tapioca flour
- 6 Tablespoons Earth Balance or butter, cut into small cubes
- ½ tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1 large egg beaten
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder*
Filling
- 2.5 pounds of good heirloom tomatoes cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder*
- 12 ounces grated cheese a combination of Parmesan and/or Taleggio
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 Tablespoons Earth Balance or butter
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 small shallot sliced thinly
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 475F. Arrange tomatoes on a baking sheet, covering the entire surface (they can overlap). Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle on salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes for about 25-30 minutes or until they just become dry and wrinkly up top. Reduce oven temperature to 375F.
- Meanwhile, make the crust. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, then work in the Earth Balance (or butter if using). When it starts to look like well combined (a bit like sand), add in the egg and stir to combine. It should form a sticky dough. Press into an 8 or 9 inch pie crust until evenly distributed. It doesn't have to be perfect, but you can roll out the dough if you want it to be more even. If the dough is too sticky to roll, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes first.
- Bake the crust for 7 minutes until just slightly browned. Remove and let cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the grated cheese, mayonnaise, chopped thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder (*see note).
- Next, layer the pie dish with the cheese mixture and tomatoes. First, add about half of the cheese mixture and spread evenly into a layer to cover the crust. Be gentle, as not to break the crust. Layer half of the tomatoes over the cheese mix; repeat both layers. Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Earth balance, mix with a dash more of garlic powder* and then drizzle over the tomatoes. Top with the sliced shallot and a few more thyme leaves. The filling may look a bit dry at this point, but fear not. The cheese will melt nicely and distribute throughout the pie.
- Bake pie until filling bubbles vigorously and crust is browned, 50-60 minutes. Mine took about 45 minutes, but yours may take longer depending on how finely the cheese is shredded and the consistency of the mayo. It really will bubble quite a bit when ready, even if it doesn't look like it! Let cool 1 hour before serving.
- The pie will keep well in the fridge for several days, if it lasts that long!