Tomato Pie and a Tiger

Last night my book club gathered for a discussion of our most recent book pick, Life of Pi by Yaan Martel. Our book club meetings are potluck, and we usually have a food theme. This time it was easy: pie (or something else relating to the book).

I decided to make a tomato pie. My Mom used to make these, and I've always loved them! I was a bit surprised when I began looking up recipes online and found that most of them included a cup or more of mayonnaise. I know that's what adds all the great flavor to the tomato pies I'm accustomed to, but I wanted to go for the same richness without the mayo. Thus, Kasie's Tomato Pie was born. For the record, I did not achieve the flavor-packed creamy goodness of my Mom's tomato pie. Just the same, I was pleased with what I turned out. My tomato pie was fresh and light. It's probably closer to a tart than a pie, but I'm not changing the name.

This is a great way to use up delicious summer tomatoes from your garden. My tomato plants haven't produced a tomato yet, but I'm sure they're coming! :)

Kasie's Tomato Pie

ingredients:

1 pie crust (store bought or homemade)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

2 medium ugly tomatoes, thinly sliced

4 oz crumbled goat cheese

3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon whole grain mustard

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll out the pie crust and fit into a pie plate so there is a one inch overhang.  Place a sheet of parchment paper over the crust and weigh down with pie weights or dry beans.  Blind bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Don't be like me!  I got in a hurry and didn't thaw my pie crust.  What a mess!  I had to throw it away and start over.

While crust bakes, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Gently saute the sliced onions until caramelized and sweet.  Remove the crust from the oven.  Put onions in the pie crust.  Top with 2 layers of sliced tomatoes.  

Sprinkle goat cheese, mozzarella, whole grain mustard, and basil on top.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil to prevent burning.  Bake an additional 15 minutes and serve warm.

The tomato pie really is summery and fresh.  I think I'll make it again, perhaps tinkering around with other cheeses.  A salty feta would be delicious.

And finally, my friend Hannah is a fabulous baker.  She must have tremendous reserves of patience  with piping and the like because her cupcakes are always perfect!  For our book club meeting she prepared Richard Parker Cupcakes.  (Richard Parker is the tiger's name in the book.)  They were too cute not to share.

Aren't they cute?!  Delicious too.  

Rule: A pinch of cayenne improves most anything

I had a book club meeting at 1:30 today, and at 1:10 I realized that I hadn't prepared a dish to take (it's always potluck).  So, I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my grocery bag, and walked down the street to Publix.  I picked up a couple cans of chickpeas, a lemon, a new head of garlic (what I have is looking a little shabby), carrot chips, and whole wheat pita bread.  I decided to break the only-eat-bread-you-make rule, even though homemade pita tastes a gazillion times better than what you can buy at the supermarket.  I then dashed home and made a batch of hummus to take with me.

I know a lot of people who buy pre-made hummus, and it seems like such a shame because it is so easy to make it yourself.  I understand that there are plenty of people who simply do not enjoy cooking, but this is such a snap that I don't think it even falls into that category.  Plus, you don't use heat.  So...it's really just mixing a lot of yummy things together.

I don't use a recipe for hummus.  Instead, I just throw together the ingredients and taste and adjust until I'm happy with the dip.  Here's an idea of how I put it together:

Hummus (a sort-of recipe)

Put one can drained chickpeas (I like to read the label and find a brand that contains only chickpeas and water -- no preservatives), a generous spoonful of tahini, 2-3 cloves garlic, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (don't worry if the seeds fall in) in a food processor.  Add approximately 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and blend until smooth.  If you have trouble blending everything add a little water or more olive oil.  Once the hummus is smooth, taste and season with salt and pepper.  At this point I almost always add a pinch of cayenne pepper.  I find that it livens up the other ingredients and gives the hummus a nice zing.  Adjust all seasonings until you are satisfied and serve with any of the following: pita bread, carrot chips, cucumber slices, celery sticks, zucchini slices.  A small bowl of kalamata olives makes an excellent accompaniment.   Before serving I like to sprinkle the hummus with Hungarian paprika, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top, and garnish with lemon slices and fresh dill.  

Depending on my mood, I sometimes amp up an ingredient to give the hummus a little more personality.  A few extra squeezes of lemon lead to a bright, crisp flavor.  Boosting the garlic can be nice if you want a little extra kick.  If I want a creamy, nutty hummus I add more tahini and a few drops of dark sesame oil.  Play with the flavors until you find what you like.  

The hummus was a big hit at book club, and a couple of people asked me if I made it myself.  Seriously, it's so simple to make that it shouldn't even be sold in stores pre-made (I'm exaggerating, of course).  Hooray for the last-minute hummus!