Roasted Tomato Pie With Cheddar-Parmesan Crust

Rey Lopez for The Washington Post; food styling by Nicola Justine Davis for The Washington Post

Tomato pie is a Southern classic consisting, in its simplest form, of its namesake ingredient, cheese, mayonnaise and fresh herbs. In this version, the tomatoes are roasted to concentrate their flavor and release excess moisture to avoid a soggy filling. For the cheese, shred it yourself, if possible, for a smoother filling texture. What also sets this recipe apart is the cheddar-parmesan pie crust that adds a deeper dimension of umami (though you may use a store-bought crust to cut down on the effort). Serve tomato pie as a side dish, or pair with a salad for a main course.

Active time: 45 mins; Total time: 3 hours 15 mins

Make Ahead: The unbaked dough can be prepared, tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days; set on the counter to soften until pliable before rolling out. To freeze, wrap the dough in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months; defrost completely before rolling out. The crust can be blind-baked, loosely covered and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. The tomatoes can be roasted and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days in advance.

Storage Notes: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.

Make the cheddar-parmesan pie crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, butter, cheddar, parmesan, pepper and salt, and pulse until the butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Add the ice water and process just until the dough almost comes together, adding more ice water, as needed, until the dough looks like wet sand that holds together when you give it a squeeze (see NOTE).

Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Dump out the dough onto the work surface and shape it into a disc. (If you are working in a particularly warm kitchen, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to keep the butter from melting.) Roll out the dough to about a 12-inch circle that’s 1/4-inch thick, rotating and flipping and dusting the dough with more flour, as needed, to prevent it from sticking. To transfer the dough, gently roll it up around the rolling pin, brushing off excess flour with a pastry brush, then unfurl it into a 9-inch pie plate.

Using kitchen shears, trim away the excess dough, leaving about 1/2-inch overhang around the outside edge of the pie plate. Tuck the overhang under, pressing gently to make it flush with the edge of the pie plate, and crimp as you like. Dock the crust along the bottom and the sides with a fork. Freeze, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, position racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 425 degrees.

Roast the tomatoes: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer as best as possible (it’s okay if there’s some overlap to make them fit), scatter the shallot over top, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bake in the top third of the oven, rotating the pan halfway through, for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tomatoes have released much of their moisture. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Blind-bake the dough: Cut a square of parchment paper or aluminum foil slightly larger than the diameter of a pie plate, and press it into the base of the pie plate. Fill with pie weights to the top inner rim of the pie plate. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to lightly brown. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more, or until the bottom of the crust appears dry and set. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes before filling.

Assemble and bake the pie: Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and position a rack in the middle of the oven. In a medium bowl, mix together the cheddar, parmesan, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until evenly combined.

Layer the roasted tomatoes and shallots in the cooled crust, reserving a few of the prettiest tomatoes to decorate the top, if desired. Tear the basil leaves into pieces and sprinkle on top of the tomatoes, reserving some for garnish, if desired. Top with the cheese mixture, covering the tomatoes and basil as best you can. If using, decorate with reserved roasted tomatoes.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown, the filling is bubbling, and the cheese is beginning to brown. Check after 30 minutes to see if the crust is browning too quickly, and tent loosely with foil, if needed. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes for the filling to set before slicing. (The pie will hold its shape better the longer you let it cool.) Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with the reserved basil, if using.

NOTE: You can use a store-bought crust instead of making your own, blind-baking it as directed. If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the cheddar-parmesan pie dough in a large bowl, using a pastry blender to cut the butter and cheese into the dry ingredients.

From Voraciously staff writer Aaron Hutcherson.

Tested by Aaron Hutcherson and Suzy Leonard.

Email questions to the Food Section.

Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.