Tomato Pie

 

4 large tomatoes or equivalent volume of smaller tomatoes (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups peeled and sliced)
1 sweet onion
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 c grated cheddar cheese (I used Colby/Monterey Jack cheese)
1 c grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 c grated sharp cheddar, or other strongly flavored cheese
1 c mayo
salt and pepper to taste
1 pre-baked 9inch pie crust (deep dish, if available)


1) If making the crust from scratch you can bake it while you do the following 3 steps. Be sure to apply a glaze to the crust so that it doesn't get soggy during the second baking. Otherwise, preheat a store-bought crust in a 350 degree oven for around 10 min just before adding the filling.

2) Peel and slice the tomatoes. Tomatoes can be easily peeled by scoring the ends with an "x" then plunging them into boiling water (eg, with a slotted spoon) for a few seconds. The skins should then come off easily by hand.

3)Slice the onions and quarter each slice so that there are chunks of onion no longer than a couple of inches (the fastest way to do this is to quarter the onion along the root axis and then slice across the quarter cuts)

4) Stir approximately 1/2 of the grated cheeses and all of the chopped basil into the mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.

5) Layer the filling in two levels: cover the bottom of the warm pie crust with tomato slices and sprinkle lightly with salt, then add half of the onions and half the remaining grated cheese. Spread half of the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the top. Repeat for the second layer. If desired, reserve a few of the best looking tomato slices to decorate the top.

6) Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 35 minutes or until the filling seems set and the top mayo/cheese layer is browning noticeably