"I have seen—and loved—tomato pies made with spoonfuls of mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, and Ritz crackers crumbled on top. Still, I’ d rather crackers not cover up the wrinkled, roasted beauty of the tomatoes in this pie. I also like mixing tomato types and sizes to create a palette of colors on top. And with pieces of bacon, a little mayonnaise (but not too much), and basil leaves, it’s like an amped up BLT wrapped in the charm of pie. It’s my favorite." – Jennifer Justus
1. Slice the large tomatoes into rounds ¼ inch thick and place them on paper towels. Let stand 10 minutes, flip over onto fresh paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 10 minutes more. (If they are too juicy they will make your pie soupy.)
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Combine mayonnaise, cheddar, and Parmesan.
3. Arrange a layer of tomatoes in the bottom of the piecrust. Sprinkle with pepper, half the bacon, layer on five of the basil leaves, and spread half of the mayonnaise mixture over the basil. Repeat, ending with a final layer of sliced tomatoes, placed so that you can fit the cherry tomatoes on top as well. Scatter thyme leaves on the top of pie.
4. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, placing strips of aluminum foil around edges if they get too brown. Cool.
Find more music city dishes and stories in Nashville Eats (Abrams, October 2015) by Jennifer Justus.
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