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One of my favorite things about summer is the access to fresh produce. Having spent a large portion of my life in a farm town, I can be picky about certain pieces of produce. Corn on the cob makes it onto that list. If I can’t buy it from a local farmer, I don’t want it. Following close behind are tomatoes.

Have you bought tomatoes in the off-season? Heck, have you bought them in season at your local grocery store? They have a deceivingly red exterior. Once you cut into them, you discover that their flesh is closer to pink. And their flavor? It’s weak. Thus, in summer I seek out and embrace locally grown and freshly picked tomatoes.

The season of tomatoes

Okay, it really is the season of fresh produce. I plan many (most?) of my meals around what is available in our garden or the farmer’s market. However, tomatoes get a place of prominence. If tomatoes are an option, they get to be the star!

Honestly, sometimes it’s nice to keep it simple and just make a tomato sandwich. When it’s really hot and you’ve had a long day, there is comfort in tomatoes, bread, and mayonnaise. However, sometimes you feel like working in your kitchen a bit and showcasing the tomato in a different way. That is where this tomato pie with a saltine crust comes into play.

Yes, this recipe does take about an hour from start to finish, but a lot of that time is just waiting- for the crust to bake, for the pie to bake, and for each of those to set and cool. The hardest part of this recipe may be cleaning the food processor. Your reward is a delicious, savory tomato pie with a saltine crust!

Hints for making tomato pie with a saltine crust

The recipe is pretty simple, but I do have a few suggestions.

Don’t skip the step where you place the tomato slices on paper towels. Extra liquid will prevent the filling from firming up. It also could make the crust soggy.
When adding the roquefort, either crumble it while adding it or mash it with the back of the mixing spoon so that it is well distributed.
This recipe can’t be rushed. Make sure to give the crust 10 minutes to cool before addig the filling. Give the finished pie 10 minutes also. It makes serving much easier.

All right! With advice done, it’s time for you to make this pie!

Tomato Pie with a Saltine Crust

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 33

Resting time 20

Total Time 55

Course Main Course

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

1 food processor

Ingredients

1 sleeve saltines
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan
2 large tomatoes
2-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-1/4 cups shredded mozzarella
2 tablespoons roquefort

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Empty sleeve of saltines into food processor.
Pulse 8 to 10 times, or until the crackers are mainly crumbs.
Add butter, pinch of salt, a sprinkle of black pepper, egg, and parmesan.
Pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture comes together.
Transfer to 9-inch pie pan, and pat evenly across bottom and up sides.
Bake for 15 minutes.
While crust bakes, slice tomatoes thinly.
Place tomato slices on paper towels, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Cover with another paper towel, press gently, then allow to rest while crust bakes.
When crust has finished baking, set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
While crust rests, combine mayonnaise, 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella, and roquefort, mixing well.
After crust has cooled, spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over it.
Top with tomato slices, cutting to make them fit snugly.
Repeat to create 2 layers of tomatoes.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella.
Bake for 18 minutes.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the saltines in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Then mix the crackers and other ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.