Makes one 9-inch pie

I love this recipe because it uses up almost 4 pounds of tomatoes and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Use your favorite crust recipe, but if you are short on time a store-bought crust works just fine. I like a slice of tomato pie with a simple green salad – it makes the perfect light meal.

  • 1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked
  • 3 1⁄2 pounds vine-ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into 1⁄2-inch dice, divided
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1⁄3 cup whole basil leaves, packed
  • 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1⁄3 cup grated fontina cheese
  • 1⁄3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 large Roma or heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced and blotted dry with paper towels

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay foil or parchment paper on top of the crust and weigh that down with dried beans or rice. If you have made your own crust, freeze it for at least 15 minutes, or until ready to blind bake.

2. Blind bake the shell for 30 minutes. Remove the pie weights and foil or parchment and bake 5 minutes more. Set the cooked crust aside as you prepare the filling.

3. Toss half of the diced tomatoes with a 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar. Set them over a colander to drain while you get everything else ready, at least an hour.

4. Lower the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter,  then add the onion and a 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-low heat until deeply caramelized, about 45 minutes.

5. Toss the remaining diced tomatoes with a 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, thyme, and olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan with as much room separating the individual pieces as possible. Slide the tray onto the oven’s middle rack and roast for 30-35 minutes. The tomatoes should dry out and brown slightly.

6. Once all the individual components are done, stir together the onion, the fresh and roasted diced tomatoes, the remaining salt, sugar, black pepper, and basil.

7. In a separate, smaller bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, fontina, and Parmigiano. Spoon the chopped tomato filling into your blind-baked crust. Top with the cheese mixture and fresh tomato slices. Bake in the middle of a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe was originally published along with the article Bounty Hunting.