A tomato pie might sound odd, but give this one a try… it’s absolutely delicious. By the way, the Italian word for “tomato” is pomodoro, which the Italian way of saying “golden apple” — so it’s no wonder that this pie works!
Gina's Tomato Pie
A delicious cross between an apple pie and a margherita pizza. As you'll see, the proportions are loose; feel free to adjust -- the real keys here are the slow-roasted tomatoes and the flavored ricotta cheese.
Ingredients
- tomatoes, medium sized or smaller Enough when cut in half to cover the bottom of 18 x 13 in (45 x 32 cm) rimmed baking sheet
- 1 pie crust Can be store bought; enough to cover the bottom of a 11 x 1 in deep (28 cm, 2.5 cm deep) round tart pan
- 1 small container ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
- 1 handful parmegiano cheese, grated
- 1 handful mozzarella cheese, torn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275F / 135C. While the oven is coming to temperature, slice the tomatoes in half (lengthwise) and place on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place tomatoes in oven and roast until blackened around the edges and sweet, about 4 hours. Remove and let cool. (You can do this step in advance if you'd like.)
- Turn the oven up to 390F / 200C. While the oven warms, line the tart pan with the dough for the crust. Place on a flat cookie sheet. Cover the crust with parchment paper, and then with ceramic pie "beans" on top of the crust; this will prevent the pie crust from rising as it bakes. (If you don't have ceramic beans, dry pinto beans will work.)
- When oven reaches the proper temperature, slide the pie crust into the oven. Bake until the crust is nearly done, about 20-35 minutes. Remove, let cool, and set parchment and beans aside.
- Turn the oven down to 355F / 180C. As the crust is cooling, fold the lemon juice and chopped herbs into the ricotta along with a bit of salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Once the crust has cooled, spoon the ricotta mixture onto the crust and gently spread to cover. Now layer the roasted tomatoes in layers on top of the ricotta.
- Top with the grated parmigiano and torn mozzarella cheeses.
- Slide the pie back into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and is starting to bubble a bit, about 15 to 20 minute. Remove and let cool slightly; this will help the pie set a bit.
- Serve immediately warm or later at room temperature.