Cherry Tomato Pie

I love the produce that’s available during the summer. Yes, the stone fruits are exceptional, but there’s another little fruit that starts to appear in July that’s just as amazing but doesn’t get as much publicity because it’s considered more of a vegetable that a fruit. It’s the heirloom tomato.

I love heirloom tomatoes. They’re tart and sweet and a wonderful addition to so many things. They’re great in salads, they make a wonderful tomato sauce, I’ll even eat the cherries all by themselves as a snack. Seriously, they’re that good. But I’ve never had them in a pie. So when I saw a recipe for a tiny tomato tart in Better Homes and Gardens, I knew I just had to try it.

It was great. I mean, I love pie, but a pie filled with hot little tomatoes and cheese? Oh my God. It’s like a pizza or a calzone but in pie form. While this recipe only calls for tomatoes and cheese, you could easily add some pancetta or fresh basil and make the dish really special. My favorite thing about this pie though, is how versatile it is. It makes a wonderful appetizer or side dish, but you could also add it to a dessert buffet in case your guests are looking for something savory instead of something sweet. Yes, it’s a little bit more involved than your standard salad or crudités plate, but it’s sooooooo worth it.

So the next time you have people over, or even if you just want to make a really nice dinner for your family, take a little extra time and make this pie. But make it now while the heirlooms are in season, because once they’re gone, you’ll have to wait a whole year before they’re back. And trust me, a year is way too long to wait.

Cherry Tomato Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 package of refrigerated pie crust
• 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded and divided
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 egg, separated
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 4 cups  assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a bowl, stir together the feta, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, the mayonnaise, egg yolk, oregano, basil and a dash of pepper.
3. Unroll one pie crust, and ease it into a 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Spoon the feta mixture into the pie plate. Top with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with a half teaspoon of salt.
4. Take the remaining pie crust and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes and use as the top crust.
5. Whisk together the egg white and 2 teaspoons of water, brush over the top of the pastry.
6. Cover the edge with tin foil to prevent from overbrowning. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes and serve.