I’d never even heard of “tomato pie” until last summer, but as soon as I was introduced to the idea I knew it was something I had to try. So after attempting a few different variations I am excited to share this recipe with you today. Serve it for dinner with steamed broccoli or a big green salad, and if you are lucky enough to have at least one piece leftover the next day have it for breakfast with some scrambled or fried eggs on the side – yum. How do you eat your tomato pie?
Tomato Pie (with corn and a whole-wheat crust)
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup whole milk
Filling:
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 3/4 pound Roma tomatoes, Romas will keep this dish from becoming too watery
- 1 1/2 cup corn, kernels from about 3 ears corn
- 2 tablespoons basil, fresh chopped, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
For the pie crust:
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In a food processor fitted with a dough blade, pulse together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sprinkle in the cold butter chunks on top being careful to spread out the pieces so as not to form one big clump. Run the food processor again until it resembles a coarse meal, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
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While the processor is going, pour the milk through the feed tube at the top. If the dough is too sticky add a little more flour and if it's too crumbly add a little more milk. Turn the machine off and bring the dough together into a ball using your hands. Divide it in two and place one half in the fridge (wrapped in plastic). Note: The pie crust can be made without a food processor using your hands or a fork.
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Using a rolling pin, roll out one of the dough balls onto a floured surface until it is about 12" in diameter and 1/8" thick. Carefully place it in the pie plate (folding it in half can ease the transition from the counter to the baking dish) and pat the dough down into the corners with your fingers. Trim any excess off the edges.
For the filling:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and start a large pot of boiling water on the stove.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lemon juice and set aside.
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Boil the tomatoes in the water for approximately 1 minute. Immediately transfer them to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut out (and dispose of) the woody stem/core and then cut each tomato in half. Gently squeeze each tomato half over a bowl in order to dispose of the seeds and juice (otherwise this liquid will collect at the bottom of your pie). Roughly chop the remaining tomato pieces.
Assemble the pie:
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Arrange half of the tomato pieces on the crust in the pie pan. Spread half of the corn kernels on top and then sprinkle with half the basil, half the salt, half the cheese, and pepper to taste. Repeat with one more layer of the remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, salt, cheese, and pepper. Pour the sour cream mixture on top.
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Roll out the remaining ball of dough into another 12" wide circle about 1/8" thick. Arrange on top of the filling and tuck under the bottom crust, pinching together to seal. Cut vents on top of the pie and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
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My tomatoes are going to be ripening real soon so I’m on the look out for all sorts of fresh tomato recipes. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to trying it.
Is the corn cooked first? Or raw? And could I do frozen instead?
The corn does not need to be cooked first…and I think frozen would work just fine! I use frozen in other recipes all the time (without defrosting it first).
GKJ, the recipe says “1½ cup corn kernels (from about 3 ears corn – cut off the cob)” — which means raw.
You can always substitute frozen. However, it would be best to thaw first (I do it by running under a little water), and gently pressing out excess water.
Thanks Lisa! I’ll be making this Friday! I am pregnant and craving tomatoes. :)
eclecticdeb–I caught the part about cutting it from the cob but we sometimes do that after cooking for our kids or for other recipes or I wasn’t sure!
It’s fine to use other types of tomatoes than Roma, just drain first. I make tomato pies, but they aren’t this healthy. Definitely will try yours.
This looks amazing. So afraid of crust though…
Julie – What’s the worst that could happen? Give it a go! – Jason
This tomato pie is gorgeous, Liz. Love the photos!
I am a big fan of tomato soup with corn, so this recipe looks right up my alley! – Looks delicious.
I’m all set to make this – but I was going to serve it later this afternoon/evening at room temperature. Then I realized there’s sour cream…..think it’ll be ok?
Hi Julie. So sorry that we are not often able to answer questions in real time. How did it turn out? ~Amy
It turned out VERY good! It had so little sour cream it wasn’t a big deal to make it a couple of hours beforehand. I brought it to a picnic and came home with only one piece left!
Such a hit! Thank you, love the site!
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing. I think I am going to have to add it to my meal plan as soon as the tomatoes in my garden ripen. I think my family would absolutely LOVE this recipe!
This looks delicious. Although its not at all what I think of when I hear tomato pie. I grew up outside of Philadelphia (with a large Italian community) and for us tomato pie was more like a cheese-less pizza served cold. We had it at most family gatherings and potlucks. I’ll have to give this version a try!
Lisa do you make sure that the corn you use is not GMO as most corn is. Also buy unbleached organic fliour. Sue
how essential is the cheese to this recipe? i’d love to make this, but i’ve been having a lot of trouble digesting cheese lately :(
Hi Marlies. Since the cheese is a rather large quantity in this recipe, it is an essential ingredient. Sour cream is also an ingredient, so this pie may be the wrong choice for you and your digestive system. :) Have you tried searching for similar recipes that are dairy free? ~Amy
Looks delicious! When I first saw this, like Tamara I thought it would be a different tomato pie – as it is found in Utica, NY (husband’s hometown). That is more like pizza with just parmesan cheese on top instead of mozzarella (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato_pie). I think yours is a Southern dish, very tasty-looking!
I have a food processor with just the one blade (not for dough) and a Kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook (which I’ve never used). Can you tell me if there’s any significant difference just using a cutting blade (like for “cutting in” butter)? What’s the advantage of using a food processor? Thanks!!!
APOLOGIES!!!! I just saw the line about using hands or fork! Sheesh; I should read the whole thing before I write!
This recipe is delicious! However, the next time I make it, I will leave out the cheddar cheese, the recipe just didn’t need it, in my opinion. I also used plain, greek yogurt instead of the sour cream. I also used whole wheat frozen pie crust from Central Market.
This was awesome! We had this for dinner tonight and everyone (me, husband, 2.5 year old, and 1 year old) loved it! My 2.5 year old even had a second slice.
I have only recently discovered your site and I am totally obsessed. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful food ideas. All of your recipes are super tasty and kid-friendly, which is what I’m always looking for.
This looks awesome! Any possibility of getting some green tomato recipes as fall arrives?
Hi there Liz. Not sure what Lisa has in store for the fall but I’ll pass on your suggestion! :) ~Amy
This was delicious! We really enjoyed it. Only thing I did differently was use full fat coconut milk instead of whole milk because I didn’t have any. I have to say, I’ve never tried a recipe from this blog that I didn’t like!
Hi! I made this last month and it was AWESOME. We served it with homemade oven sweet potato fries! I’m making it again tomorrow, and I was wondering if use green tomatoes instead?
Hi Lindsay. Did you try green tomatoes? How did it go? ~Amy
Yes I did and it was delicious!! I also added some red bell peppers and feta cheese. I love this recipe- the crust always comes out fantastic!
Made this delicious & savory pie tonight for my family. My husband is a real “meat & potatoes” kind of guy so the changes that I’ve been trying to make have been met with some trepidation. However, this recipe he actually LOVED :-). In fact he had 2 pieces. I, too, enjoyed it very much!!! A little time consuming but well worth the effort. The crust recipe I’ll use for other recipes as it was easy & yummy! Thanks for all you do to educate us, Lisa!!!
I have made many tomato pies (bought pie crust, tomatoes, cheese and mayonnaise) so was eager to try this healthier version. It was my first attempt at making pie crust. That turned out okay, but we thought it was too much dough and the pie was dry. Might try again with just a bottom crust.
This is a new summer favorite at our house, Lisa — devoured by all four family members who beg for more. Tonight I made this for the fourth time and got smart: I made two pies so we have one in the freezer! Absolutely fabulous recipe. My only changes: greek yogurt instead of sour cream. DELISH.
I’m making this tonight (hopefully) for the first time, & just wondering….do I cook the corn first? I was thinking of using frozen corn.
Hi Kimberly. We are rarely able to offer recipe guidance in real time. How did it turn out? ~Amy
Yum! Made with Greek yogurt instead if sour cream, but felt like it needed more. 1/3 cup just didn’t seem enough.
Hi! I love this recipe, but I’m wondering–has anybody ever tried freezing the leftovers? I’m thinking about freezing in individual portions and then thawing as needed. Any advice?
I have not – but I think it would work in individual portions!
This is not healthy. It my be whole but it is high is saturated fat. It would be a terrible start to the day.
I’ve been making my way through your recipe index, trying as many main dishes as I can, for a few weeks now, but was craving my favorite tomato & corn pie. The Smitten Kitchen version is the one I’ve always made, it and sounds like you’ve made a whole grain version of it (with some other tweaks, I’m sure.) I’m so excited to try it!
As I start to read through your blog I see so many, many recipes with whole wheat. I have autoimmune gluten enteropathy – so basically no gluten at all. What would you suggest is the best grain if I want a wrap or some sort of carb besides brown rice.
Hello Terri. Quinoa is a highly nutritious and versatile pseudo-grain and you are starting to find products such as crackers, chips, and wraps made from it.
I made this last night, and it is delicious. I did not boil the tomatoes before chopping, and I used frozen corn instead of fresh, and also used 8 ounces of sour cream with about 1 and 1/12 tablespoons of lemon juice since the sour cream mixture didn’t quite cover the tomatoes.
This looks really good! I’m going to veganize this recipe. Do you think this pie can be baked with just the bottom crust?
Hi there. That is not something we’ve tried. I can’t predict the outcome especially if you are making several changes. Let us know how it goes. :)