Tomato pie is a staple in Low Country cuisine, and if you’re unfamiliar with this dish, it’s not a dessert at all. I layer sliced heirloom tomatoes, my famous pimiento cheese, herbs, onion and ham in a cornmeal pie crust and bake them up. The result is a to-die-for side or main dish that I know you’ll love.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 5 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 5 tablespoons ice cold water
- 4 to 5 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Miss Brown’s House Seasoning, recipe follows
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 large Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
- 4 ounces tasso or smoked ham, diced
- 1 cup Pimiento Cheese, recipe follows
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 8 ounces extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, shredded
- 4 ounces white Cheddar (preferably Vermont Cheddar), shredded
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces diced pimientos, drained and juice reserved
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the cornmeal crust: Combine the cornmeal, flour and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Shape the dough into a disc, then wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- For the filling: Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on paper towel-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow the water from the tomatoes to release, then pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Roll out the dough out to an 11-inch circle and fit into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fold the edges under and crimp the edges. Fill the pie crust with parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is browned and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully lift out the parchment and weights and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes with the House Seasoning. Layer a third of the tomatoes on the bottom of the crust and sprinkle with a third of the herbs. Top with half of the onion, half of the ham and 1/3 cup Pimiento Cheese. Repeat the layers once. Top with the remaining tomatoes, herbs and remaining 1/3 cup Pimiento Cheese. Bake on the bottom rack until the pie is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with more fresh herbs, if desired.
- Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
- Add the Cheddars, cream cheese, pimientos and mayo to a bowl and mix together. Add the chives, garlic powder, cayenne, smoked paprika and salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 519 |
| Total Fat | 38 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 80 mg |
| Sodium | 580 mg |
Reviews
Sorry I haven’t made it, and I really don’t like when people post reviews on recipes they haven’t made. But I will make it, and plan on it for a Thanksgiving appetizer. I’m sure it will be great. My question is, can I make it the day before, or will the tomatoes make the crust soggy?
There should be a place just for questions.
There should be a place just for questions.
This dish is very flavorful. I grated my own cheese, but it still did not melt like I thought it would. Therefore, my pie was not pretty, nor did it cut cleanly (because it wasn’t being held together by anything). I am not at all certain how to fix that. Next time I will shave my onions because my so-called thin strips did not cook completely, I will also use a deep dish pie pan because this is way too much for my regular 9″ pie pan. There is way more pimento cheese than needed for the recipe, which is a bonus. I had never had pimento cheese before (yes, I am a Yankee) and I really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to using it in a grilled cheese sandwich. I had to substitute butter for the shortening (because I didn’t have shortening), and the crust turned out more like a savory cookie with a gritty finish (from the cornmeal). Still, I would make this again because it tastes wonderful and it is a terrific way to use up the tomatoes from the garden. This pie takes a long time to make so it was not finished in time to enjoy with the BBQ Spareribs and Corn on the Cob that I made to go with it. It was also a PIA scrolling up and down on my phone to follow the recipe, so I may have to reorganize it or print it out next time. One question, though: What was the purpose of reserving the pimento liquid?
Made it after seeing on tv and it was delicious. It wasn’t as pretty as Miss Brown’s because my pimento cheese didn’t melt down like I thought it would but I did have the layers piled high. I should have used a 10 inch pie plate instead of 9”. Will definitely make again.
I have to say, I’ve never had tomato pie and I saved the recipe just for the pimento cheese recipe. BUT, I made it anyway and it was delicious! The pimento cheese was an awesome ingredient but it didn’t melt like I thought it would. Still, I will make this again and again.
This is absolutely delicious!! I made it today after I saw the episode. It will be a do over for sure !! The pimento cheese is so good !!
Miss Brown this was Delicious