Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Summer makes me think of garden-ripe tomatoes

I'm baking a Coconut-Lemon layer cake today for a friend's birthday...if it turns out I'll post the recipe.

Thought I'd share a recipe I came across two summers ago on Paula Deen's cooking show. The Food Network is just the best! I was a little weirded out by the thought of baking something with mayonnaise, but it was absolutely wonderful! I've made this several times now and it's becoming one of my favorites. It is high in fat, so it's not necessarilly something you'd want to make every night. I save it for company or a special treat.


Tomato Pie
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced *
10 fresh basil leaves chopped **
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1 (9-inch) pre-baked deep dish pie shell
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. mayonnaise
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in one layer. sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in the pie shell. season with salt and pepper. Combine the cheeses and mayonnaise. Spread the mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

* A hint for peeling tomatoes: dip tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for about 1 minute. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peelings will come off easily.

** You can use 1 teaspoon dried basil if you don't have fresh.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I, too, was taken aback the first time I had a recipe which called for mayonaise to be baked (artichoke dip). But it's great!

Also, I just found out that basil is an excellent companion plant to tomatoes, so when you get your warm weather plants in, keep that in mind!