Summer is going to be a bit scattered blog-wise. Like take tomorrow, which is a Friday. I don't have a full post ready for Cool Stuff day! I could scurry hurry and throw something together, but a better idea I think, would be to wait until I've actually compiled enough Cool Stuff to make a coherent post. I'm going for a quality-over-quantity type of vibe. Yeah, that's the ticket!
But I have something that will make your summer happy, if you like tomatoes. It's like summer pizza. Except it's BETTER. It's a biscuit pie (there's a top crust to this as well, but I wanted you to see all the filling.) I did a post on it long ago, but this recipe is so charming, it deserves mention more than once on my blog. I should talk about it once a year, at least.
First, do yourself a huge favor and go find a copy of 'More Home Cooking' by Laurie Colwin. While you're at it, you might as well get book 1, which is called 'Home Cooking'. I own both and if every book in my house was bursting into flame, I would be reaching to save both of these amazing cookbooks-slash-food memoirs. So delightful, so fun to read, with the most accessible and happy-making recipes. And one of my favorite recipes is Laurie's Tomato Pie. She writes her recipe out longhand and it takes awhile to write down, so I'm going to be a cheater pants and just cut and paste from my first Tomato Pie post, which is an awesome read but I'm too horrified by my old photos to link to it. You can look it up in my archives if you're feeling intrepid. Year 2011. Oh, a note about the tomatoes - whatever form you use, canned or fresh - DRAIN DRAIN DRAIN. Blot them, drain them. Drain drain drain.
TOMATO PIE - from 'More Home Cooking'.
"The pie has a double biscuit-dough crust, made by blending 2 cups
flour, 1 stick butter, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and approximately 3/4
cup milk, either by hand or in a food processor. You roll out half the
dough on a floured surface and line a 9-inch pie plate with it. Then you
add the tomatoes. Mary makes this pie year round and used first quality
canned tomatoes, but at this time of year 2 pounds peeled fresh
tomatoes are fine, too. Drain well and slice thin two 28-ounce cans plum
tomatoes, then lay the slices over the crust and scatter them with
chopped basil, chives, or scallions, depending on their availability and
your mood. Grate 1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar and sprinkle 1 cup of it on
top of the tomatoes. Then over this drizzle 1/3 cup mayonnaise that has
been thinned with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and top everything with the
rest of the grated Cheddar. Roll out the remaining dough, fit it over
the filling, and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal them. Cut
several vents in the top crust and bake the pie at 400 degree F for
about 25 minutes." (if you have a slow oven, cook 5 minutes more)
Make this pie and enjoy your summer! (P.S. the biscuit crust is seriously the easiest thing EVER. faster than fast to make, especially if you have a food processor, but it's all easy to make by hand. seriously.)
This looks so good! I have green tomatoes on both of my plants right now. I'm hoping they mature soon!
ReplyDeletewe noticed a ROGUE tomato plant hiding in our wildflowers the other day! I'm amazed! I wonder if it will produce anything? I really like the little chant I made: Blot them, drain them, drain drain drain.
DeleteIf you're a tomato fan, you'll love this. I've made it with both canned and fresh tomatoes, and it's just all kinds of wonderful. Laurie Colwin likes it with iced tea. :) She says you can also make it early in the day and then re-heat it at 350 degree oven for a bit until the cheese turns gooey. :)
Have you read Laurie Colwin's fiction? I got hooked on her years ago, and after I read all her fiction, I picked up the Home Cooking books-they are so good. Love her chapter on gingerbread! I was so sad when I realized she had died so young, I felt like I had lost someone I knew and loved.
ReplyDeleteI have not, and I think I need to read her stuff this fall! Oh my that gingerbread chapter, I love it so much! (don't tell, but I've moved onto a different gingerbread recipe, but hers is still very good!). I was so sad as well, to realize that she had died. I felt like I knew her from her words!!
DeleteYou really have to read her novels. You will LOVE them. I read them over and over. I can't even pick a favorite. Family Happiness, maybe. Oh, just go get one!!!
DeleteI will! I swear! I'm going to find one right now, ha ha ha! Oh my goodness, I'm so excited!
DeleteThis looks so good!
ReplyDeleteTomato pie is the bees knees. I'm telling ya. :)
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