Tomato Pie

Several years ago my husband and I ate at a little restaurant in Lititz, Pennsylvania.  They are known for their tomato pie so we ordered it and loved it.  I have tried several times to capture the flavor of their famous pie but it eluded me.  I even called the restaurant to see if they would share.  Alas, they would not.  So I kept trying and finally came across a recipe that was pretty good.  I added my own twists to it to try to duplicate their well-known recipe and this is what I came up with.  Now when we have all those fresh tomatoes from our garden to use up, this is one of our favorite ways to taste that summer goodness.  Let me know if you try it and tell me what you think.

Tomato Pie

2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 T. olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (mixture of mozarella, pizza cheese, mild cheddar, parmesan or whatever you have)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 T. bread crumbs

2 T. chives

2 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt,

1/4 tsp. pepper

basil to taste

oregano to taste

add'l. cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Make crust and bake it 4-5 minutes (or use store bought).  Toss tomatoes with 1 tsp. Kosher salt and drain in colander for 30 minutes (have them go up sides as well).  Blot them dry.

In the meanwhile, cook onions in oil for 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Mix onions with rest of ingredients (except pepper, basil and oregano).  Spread over bottom of pie.  Top with tomatoes.  Drizzle 1/2 T. olive oil over tomatoes and season with pepper, basil and oregano.  Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Add some cheese on top and bake an additional 5 minutes.