Place pastry shell in a 9-inch pie dish. Does someone know if I could possibly acquire a sample VA 9 form to use ? Step 5. Love that pie. Dont substitute anything, make it just like he tells you to. Im going to try this with a polenta crust instead. The tomato pie in this report is obviously a sweet pie. Who doesnt love summer tomatoes and mayonnaise!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe. Southern Pickins'. Directions. When I add the basil I also sprinkle on some grated Parmesan Cheese then continue with the mayo/sharp cheddar topping. I was quickly distracted by the recipe for this pie and Ive been able to think of little else since then. Ive used their GF flour to make the recipe on the site for pizza dough and its excellent! Thanks Kevin for this five star, seven years strong, recipe! Sweet heirlooms will play well off the slightly tangy Dukes mayonnaiseanother southern classic, which you should be using if youre lucky enough to live somewhere its available. Since I dont keep biscuits in the fridge I used Bisquick biscuit dough for my crust. I promised my friend I would try a new recipe of yours every month for our weekly lunches. Omg! Why, only the most delicious thing on earth Classic Tomato Pie. She said this was heat-related. With your permission I will add this to my collection . Slice tomatoes into -inch-thick slices. I love tomatoes! Slice ripe tomatoes into to -inch thick slices, resting on paper towels for about hour to wick away moisture. I had to write you! Check. Dinner is over. I would add to always use real cheddar and not pre-shredded when you have such amazing fresh tomatoes. There are a few tricks people use to prevent it. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.*. But, alas, further reading left me disturbed by the thought of a tomato pie made with canned tomato sauce. PS I want to make the Tomato Pie badly but am confused by biscuits in the recipe,being something I would dunk and lose in my tea? Preheat the oven to 350 F. I will try this as soon as I can!! Sad for me. KevinIve just returned from a brunch, to which I took your tomato pie. Growing up in the west Texas town of Seagraves, Grimes had a backyard garden teeming with everything from peas and beans to watermelon and tomatoes. I must make this tomato pie. Add enough cold water, 1 tbsp. Will be on the menu as long as there are local tomatoes available. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Didnt have the biscuits so I used Pillsbury dinner rollsloved the flavor and used the whole tube. Made it tonight. What a beautiful photo! Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and if making from scratch, prepare the pie dough. Step 1. Remove the seeds. So I dont know if you go back and check for additional posts. Tomorrow I will make the spinach and cheese strata. Put the parsley, basil, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until finely minced. Hi Margaret In Australia, look for store-bought Crescent Roll dough. They can point out any difficulties they had with the way the recipe is written and share their thoughts on the process and final product. (Not that anything I have EVER tried of yours wasnt exquisiteits just the tomato being warm that Im not sure of.). He even had what was left over later that night. Because of the use of fresh ripe tomatoes, Southern tomato pies can be runny. YUM. Will make it again soon, probably Friday, this time with lite mayo and Cabots lower fat cheddar. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Hope youll let me know how the pie turns out for you. My husband will like this pie; he loves tomatoes. We are so fortunate that tomatoes love the South, and our heat and humidity, Grimes says. that was awesome as well:), All my yellow tomatoes are coming ripe at the same time, hmmm, seems like time for YELLOW tomato pie! Gods watering system does much better for everything than a hose can do!! So very easy to make. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in the prepared pie shell. It is October, 2022. Pour the ricotta and egg mixture into a greased pie pan, and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. It was delicious anyway! I had never heard of tomato pie until this summer when a friend shared it with me. Might even add some finely minced chives. I am jealous but mine tastes awesome and is my first one. Turn down the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Get menu, photos and location information for 82 Queen in Charleston, SC. Later culinary mile-markers on her path included formal culinary training and a stint in the kitchen of Danny Meyer-owned Union Square Caf in New York. Ill have to make it several times next year when the tomatoes are once again stellar. Sadly, our tomatoes are about gone but will be hitting local farmers markets and YES, it will be served at club just made a day earlier But shhhhhhhhhhh.. So I was wondering if using hot pepper jack instead of sharp cheddar would work? Anyways, this was FANTASTIC! But every tiny step in the tomato pie journey yields some sort of gratification. And by the way, I hope you will use only perfectly ripe, in season tomatoes for this pie. They had the perfect setting consisting of three buildings and a garden . Arrange tomatoes in pie shell, layering until slightly higher than pie shell. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. I did not substitute for mayo or high quality cheddar. Last year we were in southern Oregon during the height of tomato season so what else could I do?? Elsewhere, a close relativethe same thing, basically, but with a biscuit crust rather than a pie crusthas enjoyed a quiet cachet among some high-literary food folk, tracing a lineage from James Beard to Laurie Colwin to Ruth Reichl to Sadie Stein, who wrote that even at its best, tomato pie is a pretty revolting concoction. Of course this is incorrect, and she went on to concede that when well prepared, it can be satisfying in a particularly Southern register. It must be noted that Stein was using canned tomatoes. It is a nice twist on the classic recipe that is delicious, and it uses no mayonnaise! Its just my favorite comfort dish! Aside from the pastry dough section, the recipe is in keeping with the recipes of today, including that mayonnaise. It was yummy. I almost feel guilty how easy it was to make and how fancy it looks when it come out! The report is entitled Tomato Pies equal to fine English Gooseberry Pies., Interestingly, it predicts something thats proven true in the years since: The tomato is likely to become one of the most useful plants.. First I made shallow tarts in fluted pans, she says. Should I tell them how shamelessly easy it is to make?? Oops! Im also going to try it with my simple buttermilk biscuit recipe, which uses half whole wheat pastry flour. Im going to try this with my Silver Queens. Hi Winnie I promise youll hear a choir of angels sing when you bite into this pie. You can print it all of the time to remind us all to eat this delicious recipe. A more affordable yet still flavorful choice is Barilla Rustic Basil Pesto Sauce. Hi there! So easy and its pretty elegant, too, dont you think? You might also like, Garden Vegetable Pie. It offers a bit of evidence of recipes using the tomato more widely. Made the tomato pie for supper this week. I havent tried this or your wonderful recipes yet but I plan to! Bake the tomato pie at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Still have green ones here in cool colorful Colorado! Will probably have to thin the combination a bit with some milk. Place the crust in the refrigerator for 1 hour (or in thefreezer for 30 minutes). It sounds so very good, but the tomato season is about over in Illinois. Prepare the dish:Reduce oven temperature to 325. This has become our summertime comfort food favorite. And here you have it. Thank you for the excellent recipe! Referencing your recipe for Cabbage Casserole from the same email blast to replace the mayonnaise, could you use 2-4 eggs plus 1/4 cup sour cream (or heavy cream) or plain Greek yogurt? It is DELICIOUS! The answer to that question depends on where you live. Simple, Perfect Onion Ring Batter Recipe (Bessingers Copycat). Continue with a second layer of tomatoes, salt, pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon of pesto, cheese, and bacon. Then spread it around with a spoon. I may need a good recipe for green tomatoes if this keeps up. In a saucepan, combine tomatoes with lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon. The tomato pie is a southern sleeperbeloved of those who know it, largely unfamiliar outside the regionthat contains little more than its eponymous fruit, a mixture of cheese, mayonnaise, and a few chopped herbs. Or book now at one of our other 4814 great restaurants in Charleston. Oh My! Last thought if above causes changes. You find tomato pie throughout the Carolinas, especially the flat coastal areas of the low countrylike at Charlestons Dixie Supply Bakery & Cafe, or Kings Farm Market, on South Carolinas Edisto Island. Delish! Remove from oven. So glad you tried the recipe. I know, I know, fresh garden tomatoes should be eaten fresh. May have another piece for dessert! This recipe is the bomb! I do add sliced sweet onion, cut in half or into quarters depending on size of onion. This Tomato Pie isnt what you promised its 100 times better! Hey Kevin nice to know Im not the only one with a cough cough not very clean oven . Cook the spiced tomato mixture over low heat, stirring frequently. Why? This recipe definitely takes a step in the direction of the pies we enjoy today. Thanks for another recipe for my treasure box. So the splender of the pie is the simiplicity! And then I want to make this pie! Lay sliced tomatoes out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. I made this. Slice the tomatoes and lay on the paper towels in a single layer, then sprinkle with the salt to draw out the tomato juices. I made Tomato pie that same day, using spicy Thai Basil, and it was SO delicious; a new summertime favorite! Southern cooks agree that tomatoes should be made into pie. It calls for skinned tomatoes to be sliced, and after being mixed with sugar and prepased (prepared) as other pies would normally be. Shield dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Come on, tomatoes They are keeping me waiting this year. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes. A frozen tomato pie would be edible upon thawing and reheating, but the textures are likely to be less pleasant. is it possible to find all these true gems? Mayos taste different depending on brands and I was wondering what brand of mayo you buy? It seems like you just need something to help bind it, with just a hint of lemon for tang. Thank you my Great Culinary Guru !!! Homemade Tomato Sauce. I dont think Ive read your past tomato pie posts so Ill have to go and do that right away! Its thrifty use of whole lemons is unique and gives the pie a lovely combination of sweet, tart and slightly bitter flavors. Im thinking of maybe slicing the tomamtoes and let drain for an hour in a colander wanted to lov thos, but came out REALLY soggy. Biggest problem being virtually on the seafront is the wind off the English Channel. Slice tomatoes. Biscuits here are generally sweet (cookies) and in your pic it doesnt look as though thats what youre using. Sprinkle half of the garlic, basil on the tomatoes, and then half of the cheeses. but I soaked it with a bit of paper towel and believe me, this is heavenly. Thank you. If its too hot to even think about turning on your oven, Grimes recently partnered with Birmingham-based healthy meal-delivery service, Nourish, to ship her tomato pies to customers nationwideat least until the good tomatoes run out in September. This pie is a winner! Thanks for the great, simple recipes you post! Thanks for the great recipes and garden inspirations! .css-pf75fd{color:#12837c;display:block;font-family:Mogan,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.625rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-pf75fd:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-pf75fd{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-pf75fd{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-pf75fd{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-pf75fd{font-size:2.00879rem;line-height:1.1;}}Candied Carrots Are a Classic Side Dish, 22 Spinach Recipes to Help You Eat Your Greens, Spinach Casserole Is a Creamy, Comforting Side, This Simple Pea Salad Is Perfect for Spring, How to Grow Onions in Your Garden This Spring, Where to Buy Seeds for Your Garden This Spring, Fried Cabbage Is the New St. Paddy's Day Side Dish, 20 Asparagus Recipes to Get Ready You for Spring, It's Cabbage Season! Repeat procedure with remaining tomato slices and oil. I am not a big fan of mayonnaise; so, I will probably try a combination of sour cream and cream cheese. 82 Queen. Ive never heard of tomato pie before, but Im sure glad I know about it now. I will post it when I make it with a link to your site. Drop big dollops of the cheese mixture over the pie. Grazie mille, Rosalie. There are a number of retired pastry chefs who read this site. Thank you! This French Vinaigrette Wears its Fishiness With Pride. Didnt bring home a crumb! I cannot believe you said to use store bought biscuits for this delectable concoction. Meanwhile, thinly slice the tomatoes . Thanks for sharing recipe. Sorry if this has already been asked but are we talking sweet biscuits here like a digestive or something? Sprinkle lightly with Parmigiano. I couldnt stand it any longer!! Delicious! Joseph Calabrese Nice to meet you. It wouldnt be out of place at a potluck next to, say, green bean casserole, or a seven-layer salad. David Shields, a historian of southern food and the author of the new book Southern Provisions: The Creation and Revival of a Cuisine, told me that savory tomato pies have roots in the south as far back as the 1830s, when they included a meat, like beef or mutton, that was eventually excised from the recipe. Here are the basic steps: It is always helpful to have a third party cook a recipe. 2. With just mayo, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and some day-old bread, you can make this dish in about half an hour. Saving my seeds now for next year. Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe. OH MY-just took it out of the oven about a half hour ago and ate a piece already. The biscuit crust soaks up the delicious juiciness perfectly and holds up nicely without becoming soggy like regular pie crust would. Absolutely delicious!. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth. I made this pie yesterday It is FABULOUS!!!! I purchase my tomatoes from a local farmers market, perfect every time. Its rarely a good idea to leave food unrefrigerated, and that holds true with tomato pie. Let dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead once more on low speed for 10 minutes. There are a few ideas about the origins of Southern tomato pie. I made a couple of changesdid about 1/2 Greek yogurt for the mayo, instead of sliced tomatoes, used a variety of different tomatoes and chopped up with green onions from my CSA and a bit of minced garlic. you DO know how to start my Sunday morning! Happy day, my friend! Sprinkle the cornmeal over the bottom of the crust. BUT I want to make sure it holds up well so I can keep my title as best cook in Sommersette Club LOL! Casseroles. I started making your tomato pie last year. Repeat with another layer of tomatoes and another layer of mayo mixture. Tomato pie sounds delicious and I want to have a go at it. Cool on a wire rack until juices recede -- 30 minutes. Prep: Preheat the oven to 450F. Place tomatoes in baked pie shell, add sliced or chopped basil and gently mix. Ive never tried this pie before but your pictures and easy directions really got my attention. So I went middle of the road and used half mayo and half Greek yogurt. If you find the wait for those first ripe tomatoes interminably long, this pie will only compound the anticipation. I wouldnt mind writing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write about here. I have made this from your recipe the last time you published it. Did not change the flavor or color of pie. And deep-frying! Cary Only heirlooms for me this year. Recipe Roundup. Check out our SC BBQ Cookbook. Yummy. Holding true to my store-bought-will-suffice attitude, I make this pie using a good old refrigerator-section, grocery store crust as the base. On the other hand, folks down South make a savory pie filled with sliced ripe tomatoes and cheese. What do you mean biscuit dough?Am making now but using Phyllo dough!Where does one find in the frozen food section?Give me a name please!!! Now just have to get some tomatoes at the farmers market. Tightly roll the leaves from tip-end to stem-end, as if you were rolling a cigar. But for a first try, I will keep it simple as Kevin implored. Toss green tomatoes in cider vinegar. Still scrumptious with it, but it was almost to much. Made this pie for dinner tonightOMG!!! What more could any one ask for on a warm summer evening. Spread 2 Tablespoons of pesto evenly over tomatoes. I hope all my viewers will try it!! Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with half of oil mixture. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350F. Also my tomatoes (I used a combo of firm yellow, beefsteaks and plums, yummm!) Top with mayonnaise-cheese mixture and spread evenly over the top. Thank you! Thank you! Have shared so many times. Will the people tired of sticky scrambled eggs please raise their hands. What a great reminder to make it again! In town, other spots to try tomato pie, when available (it is more often served in the spring), include 82 Queen (82 Queen St., map) and Virginia's on King (412 King St., map). South Philly has its own version which is a thick, focaccia-like crust covered in tomato sauce. When I saw the post today I was so excited. I say that with all admiration, of courseto compare something to a pizza is never to belittle it.). Ive made it many times to rave review. Roll out the pie dough to an 11-inch round, then transfer to a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Both versions were good. Cant get enough of it. Knew Id love it. Will have to try it with the biscuits though. Bake for about an hour or until custard is just set; remove from oven. (Shes partial to the Brandywines and Cherokee Purples.) I was enlightened by the info ! Deborah Tomato pie is awesome as-is, but it certainly invites the fun of variations! Southern Tomato Pie. Thanks Kevin, look forward to your suggestions. This tomato pie wins over many non-tomato people. This step will help the tomatoes release even more liquid. Suggestions with ingredient amounts to make this as a slab pie or as a 913 casserole? Ive never tried the pie cold, or left-over, becausethere are never any leftovers! This provides no real relevance to our Southern tomato pie. Cover pie with crumb topping and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes (or until golden brown and filling is set). Naturally, I made this tomato pie for the 2-3 picnics per week all the time we were there. Epicurious may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. So perhaps you can find a recipe for our biscuits or even pizza dough. Keep up the good work! Kevin!!! This will help make nice slices that dont fall apart. I hope to make this tomato pie later in the week. I did salt and drain my tomatoes for 30 minutes as my daughter said hers came out watery. This is a great use for our delicious farmers market tomatoes. Great idea to use a butter crust and a casserole dish for extra tomatoes and yumminess! Ill check a farmers market for ripe tomatoes. The sugar is a bit odd by modern standards, but this recipe doesnt read like it is a sweet pie. Question please -at some time in the future will you share some of your recipe magic using green tomatoes? I enjoy your posts!! Any other suggestions please? My tomatoes were an heirloom variety, Pink Elephant, that I started from seed. Thank you for posting this. Dawn Verbarg did us the honor of testing this recipe for us. Bake in center of oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Since cheese and pesto are a bit salty, please be mindful of salt on the pie. Crimp the edges of the crust. Its too mushy. Does no answer mean that these dont freeze well? And for anyone that grosses out at mayo, try sour cream, or eggs as a binder. Patricia Shannon gives how-to content a can-do attitude, sharing her knowledge and research on housekeeping, decorating, gardening, etiquette, beauty, and more. There is a parking deck across the street which helps too . This is definitely a keeper. Then make the same amount of cheese mixture and distribute over each. This simple southern tomato pie recipe does not even require a pie crust. . I do so enjoy your recipes and projects! Fortunately, a Texas farmer would officially invent the green tomato pie a century or so later, according to this 1943 report in the Amarillo Daily News: Im not sure Farmer Jim or the reporter were aware of the long history of green tomato pies, but you have to credit the tomato man for capitalizing off of a fruit shortage to get hisumslice of the pie. Crescent rolls can be used as the dough for Tomato Pie. We had an unusually hot Summer in WI which I thought would be ideal for our tomatoes. :-)). It's made with homemade pizza dough, and topped with extra tomato sauce, Parmesan chee. Going to add onions and garlic..yum. Now, I dont hate mayonnaise and I certainly have enjoyed my share of classic tomato pies, but something about eating cooked mayo doesnt sit right with me. Is this biscuit dough like pastry? Really nice. I do not drain the tomato slices at all juices are absorbed by the biscuit dough. I am so happy to have found your website and blog. Next time i will use low fat regular yogurt. I tried your tomato pie last night and everybody loved it. My kitchen table is covered in ripe tomatoes right now!! A good wok should do it all, so we tested seven top-rated models to find the very best. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving. The bbq shrimp was . Sounds so yummy. Best year we have had for several years. For my oven, I baked it for 35 minutes and broiled it until the cheese was browned. Do I think you should go ahead and make the from-scratch dough the recipe calls for? Add in roasted tomatoes when cooked, mash tomato chunks until no large pieces of tomato is left. Thank you for posting it. your own Pins on Pinterest . The winners are the Romas which I grew from seeds I saved last year; a Silver Queen which is slightly sweet and wonderful with tomatoes the size of softballs; and the Rutgers. . To revisit this recipe, visit My Account, thenView saved recipes. Thanks so much!! Hi Kevin. I have a lot of tomatoes from my garden and was wondering if anyone has tried to make this with sun dried ones. Be sure to punch holes in the bottom of the crust. Biscuits here are generally sweet (cookies) and your pic certainly doesnt look as though thats what youre using. Lay tomato slices out onto a paper towel lined baking sheet in a single layer. I used a mix of light mayo and fat-free Greek yogurt, with. Complete with over 150 pages of recipes from generations-old family cookbooks and today's top pitmasters. You can find some great versions of Homegrown Tomatoes on youtube including Clarks own. Jane. Your email address will not be published. Preparation. Nancie McDermott, the North Carolina-based author of Southern Pies: A Gracious Plenty of Recipes, From Lemon Chess to Chocolate, says shed put the pie in the modern-classic category, surmising that its a product of 20th-century magazine editors that wended its way into the canon: My guess is that it's a creation of Junior League cookbook people and Southern Living magazine readers and women's pages newspaper food editors, coming up with tasty ways to make use of the summer's abundance, she wrote in an e-mail. Assemble and bake the pie: Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and position a rack in the middle of the oven. 23 Exciting Recipes For Dinner Around The Campfire, Our Favorite Fall Pie, Tart, And Cobbler Recipes, The Pie Queen's Perfect Pimento Cheese Pie, 40 Valentine's Day Dinner Recipes You'll Fall For, This Key Lime Slab Pie Is So Good That I Made It Two Weekends in a Row, 22 Old-Fashioned Pie and Cobbler Recipes That Are Simply Delicious, 50 Kid-Friendly Dinner Ideas For Busy WeeknightsAnd Busier Parents, The 25 Best Appetizers To Serve All Spring Long, 25 Spiced Fall Desserts To Get You In the Spirit, 60 Classic Southern Recipes To Make All Summer Long, 45 Summer Breakfast Recipes Made For Easy Entertaining, 24 Inviting Apple Pies for Every Fall Occasion, 24 Sweet And Savory Tart Recipes For Breakfast To Dessert. What variety? Thank you!! Spread cashew mixture into the pre-baked pie crust. Place jalapeno rings over the pie. In fact when it is served the table is completely silent as we all savor each bite ahhhhh. We love tomato pie! La Contessa I dont think Phyllo dough will work for this pie. Center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 375F. Kevin: Can I freeze this. Otherwise, proceed this way: Blend 2 cups (300g) flour with 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and baking soda. Thanks so much, youre my go to guy for great recipes . a lightly-greased 9-inch-diameter pie plate (not "deep dish"), COPYRIGHT20092023 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | KEVIN LEE JACOBS. The only problem that I have with tomatoes is the juice they put off. So glad you tried and liked this incredible dish. Classic Tomato Pie My husband noticed the difference as I did this trick the first time but not the second. Nice and thick and juicy and ohhhhhh so good. I have now made multiple tomato pies in the last couple of weeks. Looks soooo yummy, be a nice welcome home dish for my hubby, with a bottle (or two) or Sauv Blanc to go with it :) Thanks Kevin ! thanks kevin!! PS. Our tomatoes in the PNW got a late start with lots of rain this year.. so we are patiently and not so patiently waiting! In other words, the essence of a good, hot summer, and a more elaborate realization of a notion expressed simply in its southern sibling, the tomato sandwich: namely, that tomatoes and mayo are perfect partners. Where tomato pies are concerned, Grimes asserts that there are two categories: There is the one that is just slices of tomato with the big blob of mayo on top. It is not as pretty as the sites pie but it is scrumptious and loved making it and it is fast and simple. I cant wait to try it as written! Could you clarify for me what you mean by biscuit please? Mix together the mayonnaise and Parmesan and spread on top of the pie. Yummmm. Dear Kevin Made this today with my own whole wheat biscuit recipe and home made mayounbelievable good! Repeat with the remaining tomatoes and spinach mixture. But yes, I am pretty sure I need to make this soon very soon. I perfer a little tang LOL. Hi Gloria Angels, yes! Dot over the final layer of tomatoes. Easier works for me! Cut each tomato into quarters and place on the sheet pan. Not bad.) My husband looked at me like I was nuts when I said I was making it for supper he thought it was absolutely delicious! Plus steaming! I wouldnt change a thing (though I did use light mayo)! I cant wait for you to let us know how it turns out as a base for Classic Tomato Pie. This looks so good here that I made it for dinner tonight.