Get ready to indulge in the most epic savory pie extravaganza of your life!

Today, we’re diving into the world of Southern classics, and trust me, you won’t want to miss this!. No more boring, bland meals!

Imagine the best tomato sandwich, with soft buttery white bread, heaps of mayonnaise, plenty of salt and pepper, and the garden’s freshest, juiciest tomato… and then turn it into a pie. We start with a flaky, buttery pie crust, fill it with three kinds of cheese, a bit of mayo for flavor and stick-to-itiveness, basil and garlic, and then of course, beautiful garden tomatoes.

It conjures memories of Pimiento Cheese Dip, but is less rich, meaning we can eat a whole slice of it. It’s a homey, nostalgic kind of pie, perfect alongside potato salad or mac and cheese at a potluck.

First things first, we need to make a Homemade Pie Crust. Store-bought can be used if necessary, but with how simple this pie is, having a super amazing crust makes a big difference.

Now it’s time to Blind Bake the crust. We are actually doing what’s called a “Par Bake,” so follow the instructions for that option. This means that we are weighing down the center of our pie crust and baking the edges of the crust.

Then, take the weights out. Poke a fork all over the center of the pie crust, which will still be totally raw. This is so it doesn’t bubble up.

Set your pie crust aside, it’s time to make the filling! Start by prepping the tomatoes, so they have time to release their moisture while we do everything else.

Core your tomatoes, and slice off any cracks that are on top of your garden tomatoes. Then slice your tomato in half. Do not cut across the core. If you set your tomato on the counter on its bottom, we are lopping off the top half.

It’s essential to cut this way so that we end up with these handy seed pockets. SQUEEZE out them seeds! Actually, I start out with a bit of squeezing but then eventually just end up digging my fingers into each of these seed cavities.

The goal is to get out ALL the seeds and juicy mush stuff. You just want sturdy tomato flesh left in your hand. Then take each half and chop it into a large dice.

I like to cut the tomato one more time like this, for nice bite-size pieces. Keep chopping until you have about 4 cups of tomatoes, or about 1 and 1/2 pounds.

Add all the tomatoes to a colander set in a bowl (to capture the juice). Add 1 teaspoon salt to the tomatoes, and stir it around so each piece is coated in salt. Let the tomatoes sit in the salt for at least 20-30 minutes while you prep the rest of the filling.

First thing is to add in that cornmeal. This is delicious, and helps absorb moisture in your pie. Next add a layer of cheese, this creates another barrier between the tomatoes and the crust.

Next add some onions and basil. You can just chop your basil like any other herb, into bits. No need to do the fancy chiffonade here, where you roll the leaves and slice.

I prefer smaller pieces of basil in my pie. Now let’s go back to those tomatoes. After several minutes you should see some juice in the bowl at the bottom, the salt doing its work.

Lay out some paper towels and add the tomatoes in a single layer. Press more paper towels on top. We just want these tomatoes to be as DRY as possible!

Add HALF of the dried out tomatoes to the pie. Meanwhile, in another bowl, add in all the filling ingredients: mayo, a bunch of cheese, garlic, a bit of cayenne.

And spread this mixture on top of your tomatoes. Add the rest of the dried out tomatoes. Top the pie with more cheese, any kind you like.

At this point, follow the instructions for making a tin foil pie crust shield. This protects our crust from getting over baked, and bonus, makes your pie look like it’s ready for a trip to outer space.

Pop it in the oven and bake until the top is golden and crispy!!