Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife, our dog and I resided in our converted school bus in different areas of the country. We made an effort to shop at local open-air farmers markets whenever possible, enjoying all the regional produce. However, my wife often said, “There’s nothing better than a good Illinois tomato!”
Back in central Illinois, we’re finally enjoying our local tomatoes. We always mark the summer’s first ripe tomato with a BLT, a sandwich beautiful in its simplicity: smoky bacon, juicy tomato slices and a smear of mayonnaise between two slices of toasted sandwich bread (never crusty artisanal bread) with an optional lettuce leaf.
During our time in the South, we discovered the simple pleasure of the Southern tomato sandwich: soft white bread, ripe tomatoes, salt, pepper, and, most importantly, Duke’s mayonnaise. Though it never surpassed my beloved BLT, this modest sandwich, often delightfully soggy with tomato juices, holds its own appeal. Nowadays, once my BLT desires are met, I bypass the Southern tomato sandwich and gravitate toward its more refined and elegant cousin: the Southern tomato pie. The tomato pie swaps out the pallid sandwich bread with a flaky pie crust, the tomatoes are joined by sweet onions and grated cheese and everything is held together by the inevitable addition of Duke’s.
Anyway, this is a short story for a long recipe. This is a great savory pie. I encourage you to try it. If you are intimidated by making your own pie crust, buy a premade pie crust at the grocery store. But it won’t be as good as homemade.
Southern tomato pie
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
1 stick of unsalted butter- frozen
Ice water
For the filling:
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
¾ cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s)
¾ cup yellow sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
Preparation:
Make the pie dough: Well ahead of time, place a medium mixing bowl, box grater and butter in your freezer to thoroughly chill. Prepare some ice water.
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in the chilled mixing bowl. Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture through the large holes of the chilled box grater.
With your hands, gently toss the grated butter in the flour until combined. The cold butter should end up the size of peas. Drizzle ⅓ cup ice water into the mixture, stirring until the flour is evenly moistened. With your hands, gather the dough into a ball, transfer it to a floured work surface and knead gently until it comes together. If the dough starts feeling warmer, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill. Do not overwork. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
Prepare the tomatoes: Season both sides of the tomato slices with ½-teaspoon of salt and arrange them on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Let them sit for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels. Flip the slices and continue to let them sit, patting dry and turning every 15 minutes for one hour or until a significant amount of liquid has been released.
Prepare the pie crust: Lightly flour a clean work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap and roll out the dough, starting in the center and rolling up to, but not over, the top edge of the dough. Return to the center, and roll down to, but not over, the bottom edge. Continue rolling and rotating the dough a quarter turn at a time until it forms a circle at least 11 inches wide and ⅛-inch thick.
Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, avoiding stretching or pulling. Gently press it against the bottom and sides. Trim any excess dough with scissors, leaving ½-inch beyond the rim. Fold this extra ½-inch under itself, making it even with the rim, and crimp with a fork.
If you have the time, freeze your unbaked pie crust overnight. This allows the gluten to relax fully, preventing shrinkage or slumping during baking.
Blind-bake the empty pie shell: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly prick the chilled pie shell all over the bottom in 1/2-inch intervals. Line pie shell with a double layer of aluminum foil, loosely folding over the edges to prevent burning. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or rice. Transfer to a parchment or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust begins to brown around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove liner and pie weights from par-baked crust and bake the now uncovered crust until the bottom is baked through and set, and just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 to 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool about 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: While the crust cools, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally until browned and softened. If the onions begin to stick or get too dark, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Transfer the cooked onions to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yellow cheddar, white cheddar, mustard, garlic powder, pepper, and egg. Stir until well mixed, then add 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Spread about 1 cup (half of the mixture) evenly over the bottom of the cooled pie crust.
Pat tomatoes dry one last time and arrange half of the tomato slices in a single layer on top of the mayonnaise mixture. Scatter half of the cooked onions over the tomatoes. Spread the remaining mayonnaise mixture over the onions and tomatoes, then layer the remaining tomato slices and onions on top. Finish by sprinkling with the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is puffed and golden brown. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil or a pie shield. Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least one hour before slicing. Serve at room temperature.
After a 40-year career as a dentist, Peter Glatz traded his lab coat for a chef’s coat and his scalpel for a chef’s knife. He is spending his summer in Champaign cooking at Caprae Restaurant, Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery’s farm-to-table restaurant. Several of the recipes from his Illinois Times food column are featured on Caprae’s menu.
This article appears in Fall Guide 2025.
