The Art of Simple Food
“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” - Claude Monet
Growing food is an art. The garden a blank palette waiting to be filled. Cooking its bounty is a joy. All senses are fully engaged from the moment you drop the hoe into fresh spring dirt, to the final blend of seasoning incorporated into a dish using simple grown food.
Add to that, the array of colors that each heirloom tomato can bring to the visual palette when harvested from the vine…and then melded into a southern Tomato Sandwich with Mayo, or a freshly blended Gazpacho or….a Tomato Pie.
My family migrated from the Midwest to the south. They were true farmers with stories to tell. My cooking skills (another story someday) culminated from my Midwestern family and then blended with my mother-in-laws Serbian flair. My pseudo farming skills, of which I always refer to as my big garden, came from my great grandmother, Ella , via my Grandmother Francis, via my mom Carolyn.
This week, from my kitchen to yours, an all time summer favorite at my house.
Heirloom Tomato Pie
Ingredients
1 - 9” pie shell (homemade or store bought)
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
3-4 medium size ripe tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil, about 12 large leaves (1/2 will be layered into pie and half for garnish on top)
8 oz grated cheese (I love to use a combination of my favorites)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use heart healthy olive oil mayo)
1 tsp (or more to taste) of your favorite Tabasco Hot Sauce
Instructions
Prebake the crust in 350F (175C) oven, I rim my crust edges with foil and score the bottom. Bake until just turning slightly gold. Remove the foil and finish when lightly browned. About 8-10 min total
Slice tomatoes into round circles about 1/2 thick. Lay on paper towels or an absorbent dish towel and cover with another layer. Remove as much liquid as possible.
Assemble the pie starting with a layer of onions.spread the tomato circles to fit your pie crust. They can overlap. Sprinkle 1/2 of the sliced basil over the tomatoes.
In a medium bowl, mix the grated cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce and black pepper. This mixture will come together like a gooey cheese ball. Spread this over the top of tomatoes. Use the back of a spoon or mixing spatula to slowly spread the mix out to cover as much of the tomatoes as possible. Sprinkle the last of the basil over the top.
Place pie back into oven and bake at 350F(175C) until bubbly and beautifully browned. Depending on your oven, about 25-45 mins.
I have not attempted to paint a tomato yet! I will challenge myself soon. However, I do have a few painted food items that are grown on the farm to share this week.
Bon Appetit!
