The best part about tomato season — tomato pies! They are one of my all time favorite things to make in the summertime. I've always had a love for those juicy, ripe, red vegetables (or fruits), however you see it. I think my love for them has a sentimental aspect. I vividly remember the earthy fresh smell coming out of my grandmother's hot and humid kitchen as she would stew pounds and pounds of tomatoes for canning. She would stay in the kitchen all day for days at a time, peeling, stewing, seasoning and canning these juicy tomatoes, that we would later incorporate into a meal.
Canning isn't a skill that I inherited, but then again I haven't really given it much of a chance. Maybe one day I will get into it, but in the meantime I'll stick to the pies. This recipe is a labor of love and worth every minute spent in the kitchen! I'll admit, this isn't the first time I've shared this recipe on the blog. It's just so good, I thought it needed to be brought back out of the archives. There may be one million and one recipes out there, but here's a look at my take on this classic southern pie!
Two things to note: I think a deep dish crust would work well with this recipe if you want to incorporate more tomatoes. I would also recommend doubling this recipe. One for you and one to share!
Tomato Pie
INGREDIENTS
2 large tomatoes
1 large onion
3 green onions
4 strips of bacon
1 teaspoon garlic
½ cup of mayo
½ cup of ricotta
½ cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 handful of fresh chopped basil (the more, the better)
1 frozen pie shell (they come in pack of two)
1 packet of parma rosa dry sauce mix
Pepper
Sea Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake the pie shell according to package directions. (about 15 minutes)
2. While the pie shell is cooking, slice the tomatoes 1/2 inch think and discard of seeds. Place the tomatoes on a paper towel, sprinkle with sea salt and let them dry for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, warm a large skillet and fry 4 slices of bacon until nice and crispy.
4. Remove the bacon from the pan once cooked through and place on a paper towel to drain excess grease.
5. Dice an onion and sauté with minced garlic until translucent, cooking in the same pan the bacon was fried in. I poured out most of the bacon drippings, leaving a little to sauté the onion in.
6. Remove the garlic and onions from the pan and put to the side.
7. Take the pie shell out of the oven when finished baking.
8. Spread the garlic and onion mixture on the bottom of the pie shell.
9. Pat the tomatoes dry once more with a paper towel and layer on top of the onions, covering the entire surface area.
10. Top the tomatoes with chopped green onions, chopped basil, and sprinkle with pepper.
11. In a medium size bowl, add the ricotta, mayo, grated cheddar cheese, bacon, half of the parma rosa packet and mix well.
12. Spread the mixture over the tomatoes, coating completely covering the top. Top with mozzarella.
13. Bake the pie on 350°F for approximately 25 minutes or until golden around the edges.
14. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before slicing.
15. Top with fresh basil and/or bacon.
On display were 
