One of God’s greatest gifts to us is pie. We’ve already been through this. But did you know that there is an entire untapped universe of savory pies just waiting for you to try them?

I’m not talking chicken pot or turkey pot pies. I’m talking meat pies, sweet potato pies, crawfish pie, and my personal favorite: tomato pie. This recipe is really simple. It seems like it has a lot of ingredients; but in reality, you probably have most of what you need already and what you’re lacking could be omitted. Start with half of my original pie crust recipe (as it doesn’t require a top crust). A store-bought crust would also be safe because the richness of a savory pie doesn’t rely on the crust for balance. 

Ingredients:

1(10-inch) deep dish pie crust, partially baked

3 medium sized tomatoes

salt

2 slices of bacon

1 small sweet onion, quartered / sliced

3 C. shredded mozzarella

pinch of granulated sugar (it is pie after all)

garlic powder

1 C. regular mayo 

1/2 tsp. hot sauce

2 T. basil

1/8 C. Parsley

Directions:

1. Cook pie crust at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until dry-looking. Reduce to 350 degrees.

2. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick and lay them on the sheet to drain. Sprinkle with salt, cover with another towel and rest for 30 minutes. 

3. Cook your bacon until it’s your favorite type of crisp. Sauté onions until tender but not brown.

4. Add 1/2 C. cheese to bottom of crust. Top cheese with half of the tomatoes. Sprinkle with sugar, then season with pepper and garlic powder. Add half of basil and half of onions. 

5. Add 1/2 C. cheese. Repeat the layering in step 4-5 but save one last layer of cheese. 

6. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, hot sauce, parsley and remaining 2 C. cheese. Spread evenly over top. 

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. 

This is a really great dish for a crowd. It’s unique while echoing familiar Italian food tastes. Serve with a light salad and a table full of laughter and friends.