← Nouns Cooking · American

Ingredients

• 1 shortcrust pastry case (23 cm), unbaked
• 900 g ripe tomatoes, sliced 1 cm thick
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 15 g Basil, torn
• 120 g Mayonnaise
• 100 g sharp cheddar, grated
• 100 g Mozzarella, grated
• 25 g Parmesan, finely grated
• ½ tsp Garlic powder
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 4 dashes hot sauce (optional)

Method

1. Lay the tomato slices on a rack or on kitchen paper, sprinkle with the salt and leave for 30 min to draw out their juices. Pat them dry; this is what stops a soggy pie.
2. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F). Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans and bake for 15 min, then remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 min more, until pale golden.
3. Meanwhile, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 8–10 min, until soft and lightly golden.
4. Lower the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F). Spread the onion over the pastry base, then layer in the tomatoes and basil, overlapping the slices.
5. Mix the mayonnaise, cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, pepper and hot sauce, then spread it over the tomatoes right to the edges of the crust.
6. Bake for 30–35 min, until the top is golden and bubbling. Cover the pastry edges with foil if they brown too fast.
7. Cool for at least 20 min before slicing, so the filling sets. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

• Use the best, ripest summer tomatoes; mixing colours makes it look stunning.
• Parmesan is made with animal rennet, so pick a vegetarian hard cheese if needed.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Once Upon a Chef Jo Cooks Spend With Pennies