Another way to use tomatoes!

I've always believed if a tomato doesn't taste good on a BLT sandwich, it probably won't taste good anywhere else. For me, a BLT is the gold standard for tomatoes.

I saw something interesting on a cooking show the other day when a chef made a BLT pie. She used a normal home made pie shell filled with alternating layers of sweated onions on the bottom, crumbled bacon, and sliced tomatoes with two layers of each until the pie shell was full. She then baked the pie for thirty minutes at 350 degrees. She topped each slice of pie with shredded lettuce and a vinaigrette dressing.

Now I can't wait for my spring tomatoes so I can try a BLT pie.

Ted

[peebee]

Was the pie shell topped with another sheet of pie crust or left as is?

[RobinB]

I found this recipe from Food Network Magazine last Summer and never got around to making it. We just started making our own mayonnaise, so I really want to make this once the tomatoes are abundant again! Check it out:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/f...ipe/index.html

Robin

peebee,

The pie didn't have a crust top. The pie top was 1/4" thick tomato slices. I'm thinking about using an egg/milk mixture poured over the top before the pie is baked to thicken and hold everything together when it is sliced. I also think I will need to salt and pepper each layer as it is built.

Ted

[tokizy]

WOW. Good recipe. I have made tomato pies with mine. I use spinach, onion, tomato, cream cheese, parmesean, etc... BLT pie... nom nom nom

Here is a link to my BLOG with a recipe for Tomato Pie

http://timstomatoes.blogspot.com/201...omato-pie.html

[afrance30]

Originally Posted by RobinB

I found this recipe from Food Network Magazine last Summer and never got around to making it. We just started making our own mayonnaise, so I really want to make this once the tomatoes are abundant again! Check it out:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/f...ipe/index.html

Robin

How do you make mayonnaise? I've never thought about doing that... but it sounds good

[RobinB]

Oh my! it's so easy! Once you taste it, you'll never go back to the stuff from the store. We use a good tasting olive oil alone or sometimes a combination of olive oil and sunflower oil if we don't want a strong olive oil taste. Right now, we have two jars in the refrigerator, one with all olive oil and grated garlic, and the other with just sunflower oil. We use really good oils, get extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, and high-oleic Sunflower, Safflower or Canola. Most oils from the grocery store are highly processed so that they will have a long shelf life. You want oils that actually have a shelf life!You can find many recipes for mayonnaise online, but the ingredients are only egg yolks, oil, lemon juice and salt. Let your eggs come to room temperature, and add the oil very slowly. You can use a food processor, but my husband (who is the one who makes it around here) does it by hand with a whisk. What to do with the leftover egg whites? We make meringues.

[Sun City Linda]

Oh I probably shouldnt tell you guys I just had a great BLT for lunch. Oops. Tomato from my supposed to be Mortgage Lifter under cover of patio roof. Actually, had a pretty good bite so maybe it was something else. Tasted FINE. Linda

Linda,

Surprise!!! It probably was a Mortgage Lifter. I can't believe how many people down rate the taste of Mortgage Lifter. I grew my first this past summer and they were great. I totally understand why Radiator Charlie stopped cross breeding when he developed the variety.

I also bought five pounds of thick sliced smoked bacon yesterday in preparation for and anticipation of my summer tomatoes. I refuse to waste perfectly good bacon with store bought tasteless tomatoes.
Ted

[Sun City Linda]

What ever it is Ted, I saved seed! Only other Mortgage Lifter I tried was much sweeter and pinker as I recall. Few years ago, bought it at a big box store. I have a couple different Mortgage Lifters I am seeding this year, including Mystery Winter from my patio. LInda

[beatpoet]

I made a couple tomato pies this year, pretty similar to these recipes, pie crust, then a layer of onions, then tomatoes with a few diced jalapenos mixed in, some salt, pepper and garlic to season. Then topped it with a mix of shredded cheese and mayo and baked it in the oven, the topping gets nice and browned and gooey. Make sure to drain and remove the seeds from the tomatoes and pre-bake the crust, otherwise you'll end up with a soggy crust. I think I made one version with a layer of spinach on the bottom as well.

[afrance30]

Originally Posted by RobinB

Oh my! it's so easy! Once you taste it, you'll never go back to the stuff from the store. We use a good tasting olive oil alone or sometimes a combination of olive oil and sunflower oil if we don't want a strong olive oil taste. Right now, we have two jars in the refrigerator, one with all olive oil and grated garlic, and the other with just sunflower oil. We use really good oils, get extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, and high-oleic Sunflower, Safflower or Canola. Most oils from the grocery store are highly processed so that they will have a long shelf life. You want oils that actually have a shelf life!You can find many recipes for mayonnaise online, but the ingredients are only egg yolks, oil, lemon juice and salt. Let your eggs come to room temperature, and add the oil very slowly. You can use a food processor, but my husband (who is the one who makes it around here) does it by hand with a whisk. What to do with the leftover egg whites? We make meringues.

Thanks so much! I have got to try that!

[JamesL]

Just found this thread.
Great discussion y'all! I am already dreaming of harvest. Saving this link. Going to have to try some of these great looking pie recipes.
On Mayo - check out this link on 2 minute mayo by Kenji from serious eats. He is one of my favorites and I started making my own mayo as well after reading it.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/10/t...tes-or-le.html