Tomato Pie and Chocolate Cobbler

 What do you do when a dear friend drops off a huge bag of homegrown, garden fresh tomatoes? You make a tomato pie of course!

I actually had never made a tomato pie before, let alone tasted one, but it seemed like a good idea. When it comes to southern cooking, Paula Deen is the queen.

Paula Deen’s Tomato Pie

4 tomatoes

Slice your tomatoes. If you’re lucky enough to have a tomato knife, this step is a breeze.

Place the tomatoes in a colander and salt them. Let them drain for at least 10 minutes. This step is VERY important. If you don’t let them drain long enough, your pie will be soupy. You may also want to blot them with paper towel to get rid of any excess moisture.

10 Fresh Basil Leaves and 1/2 cup green onions

Chop the basil the green onions. (To chop the basil, I rolled several leaves together and slice them into a chiffonade)

Layer the tomato slices in the pie shell. (I used a frozen deep dish pie shell that I prebaked in the oven for 11 minutes. Just follow the directions on the pie crust package.)

Sprinkle the chopped basil over the tomatoes. (To chop the basil, I rolled several leaves together and slice them into a chiffonade)

   Sprinkle the sliced green onion on top of the basil.

  Mix 1 cup of grated cheddar, 1 cup of grated mozzarella and 1 cup of light mayonnaise.

*** I wonder how the recipe would hold up if I substituted half mayonnaise, half sour cream.***

Spread mayonnaise and cheese mixture over the top of the pie. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

When you take it out, check to make sure it’s baked through and not runny on the inside.

Serve with a side of greens for a nice light summer meal.

Of course we couldn’t end the meal without dessert. For those of you who have ever had the pleasure of dining at Barbara Jean’s, you know they have a dessert called The Chocolate Stuff that is positively sinful. I recently found this recipe that is very close. It’s delicious!

CHOCOLATE COBBLER

It’s delicious served warm with ice cream or whipped cream on top.

This recipe is featured in Christy Jordan’s new cookbook, Southern Plate. If you love southern cooking, you absolutely must check out this cookbook. It’s phenomenal!