Fresh tomato pie
Instructions:
- 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell;
- 11⁄2 pounds large sun-ripened tomatoes;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste;
- 1⁄4 cup lightly packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped;
- 1⁄2 cup crisp bacon pieces (optional);
- 1⁄4 teaspoon celery salt or celery seed;
- 3⁄4 cup high-quality mayonnaise;
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 1⁄4 cup);
- 11⁄4 cups grated Asiago cheese, divided;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste;
- 1⁄3 cup crushed saltine cracker crumbs.
- Bake and cool the pie shell.
- When ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the tomatoes into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices. Cover a wire rack with several layers of paper towels and set the rack over the sink to catch the drips. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on the rack. Sprinkle them with the salt and let drain for at least 10 minutes. Pat the tomatoes dry with fresh paper towels.
- Arrange half of the tomatoes over the bottom of the pie shell. Scatter the basil and bacon, if using, over the tomatoes and arrange the rest of the tomatoes on top.
- Stir together the celery salt, mayonnaise, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir in 3⁄4 cup of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the tomatoes.
- Toss together the remaining 1⁄2 cup of cheese and the crumbs in a small bowl; sprinkle over the top of the pie.
- Bake until the top of the pie is nicely browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature before serving.