Tomato Pie Recipe: Easy Savory Italian Pie

Our savory tomato pie cooks up golden brown and features sweet Cherub tomatoes layered onto a crisp Italian bread crust with parmesan, garlic, and fresh herbs, held in a luscious custard-like filling.

We're opting for a homemade breadcrumb crust as opposed to the typical pie crust, which we're making from toasted Italian bread blended with Parmesan cheese and olive oil. In addition, we're opting for Cherub tomatoes rather than heirloom tomatoes or Roma tomatoes. Cherubs are small, sweet, and low-moisture. Importantly, they hold their shape and retain more of their sweetness through cooking. The end result is a savory tomato pie that is satisfying yet light, while featuring a delicious mix of savory, rustic, and sweet.

Now, without further introduction, let's make an Italian-style tomato pie.

Jump to:

• Savory Tomato Pie Recipe - What to Expect
• Savory Tomato Pie Ingredient Checklist
• Equipment Essentials
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Tomato Pie Recipe: Easy Savory Italian Pie

Savory Tomato Pie Recipe - What to Expect

Taste and Texture

Bright, fresh tomato flavor, with a rich and savory depth, combines to make this tomato pie genuinely crave-worthy without being heavy. The Cherub tomatoes are the star in this tomato pie, and their concentrated sweetness brings a delicious contrast to the otherwise rustic, savory flavor profile. Given that Cherub tomatoes hold their shape through cooking, they create caramelized little bursts of jammy tomato flavor throughout the pie's custard-like filling.

In terms of texture, the Cherub tomatoes are doing a lot of work here as well. Other types of tomato pie rely on larger tomatoes, and the only way to fit larger tomatoes into pies is via slices. Anyone who's ever cut into a beefsteak tomato knows that big, sliced tomatoes release a lot of water. Not only that, but those slices do not hold their shape, thereby releasing even more water through cooking. For most types of crust, this is simply too much moisture. Cherub tomatoes, by contrast, retain their shape and moisture. This means the crust remains crispy and golden brown with a wonderful crunch. A far cry from the (usually) soggy bottom of a traditional tomato pie shell.

Difficulty Level

Beginner Friendly. As far as pies go, this is a very approachable recipe. There's no pie crust to crimp, no blind baking, and no complicated techniques to master when it comes to the filling. The breadcrumb crust is much easier to prepare than a traditional pie dough or even a store-bought pie crust - and I'm serious about that. There's no chilling, no rolling, no need to blind bake - and that's a big deal in terms of time saved and overall ease of prep. The most technical parts of the recipe are sautéing the onion and garlic until fragrant and knowing when the pie is set (the center should be firm and the top golden brown).

Preparation Process and Time

About 90 minutes from start to finish, with only about 25-30 minutes of that being active hands-on work. The rest is hands-off baking time and resting time. We start off by toasting the Italian bread until golden, and we process it with the Parmesan cheese and olive oil into seasoned crumbs. We then press that olive oil, bread, and cheese mixture into a pie dish to form the crust. After that, we sauté the diced onion, chopped garlic, and parsley until the onion turns translucent and the garlic becomes fragrant. Halve the Cherub tomatoes, combine with the sautéed aromatics and the Parmesan cheese, and mix. Then, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half to create the custard. Pour the tomato mixture into the prepared crust, top with the egg mixture, sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. We then bake for about an hour until the pie is set and the top is golden. After baking, we let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. The rest time is crucial to allow the custard to finish setting.

Pairings

1. Green Salad: I'd recommend a big, leafy green salad, such as our Fried Paneer Salad, which features fried paneer cheese topped over a bed of romaine with assorted berries and sliced vegetables, warm croutons, shavings of Parmesan, and a light vinaigrette pulling it all together. You might also consider a lush salad platter.
2. Roasted Vegetables: Especially grilled summer vegetables, would be delicious.
3. Wine Pairings: Crisp white wines such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or an unoaked Chardonnay would be delicious. Light reds such as Chianti or Beaujolais pair well if you prefer red.

Savory Tomato Pie Ingredient Checklist

• 20 oz of Cherub tomatoes, halved
  • Star of the Show: The Cherub tomatoes are what make this recipe, due to their ability to hold their shape and moisture through baking. Their natural sweetness is also key to the flavor profile.
  • Lower Moisture: The lower moisture content of the Cherub tomatoes is vital, as it prevents the crust from becoming soggy. We're not making a tomato sauce here; we don't need lots of excess juice.
  • Holding Their Shape: The Cherub tomatoes hold their shape through baking, and this is vital for the texture, as it creates pockets of moisture and sweetness.
  • Fresh Is Key: This recipe needs fresh tomatoes, preferably ripe tomatoes that are still firm to the touch.
  • Substitute: Grape tomatoes, as they are very similar, being small, sweet, and low in moisture. Cherry tomatoes can also work, but have a slightly higher moisture content, so be sure to pat them dry. While this recipe shines with smaller varieties of tomatoes, you can use chopped tomatoes from larger varieties, preferably Roma tomatoes.
• 8 slices of Italian Bread, toasted
  • Day Old: We need the bread to be sturdy, so use either day-old Italian bread or a very crusty Italian bread.
  • Toast It: Toast the slices until slightly golden.
  • Substitutes: Sourdough bread, French bread, ciabatta. Any crusty, hardy bread, really.
• 2 cups Grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • Fresh is Best: As I'm fond of saying, freshly grated cheese is far superior, as pre-grated cheese leaks moisture, and that moisture is flavor. Also, pre-grated cheeses are packed with anti-caking agents such as cellulose and potato starch.
  • Substitutes: Pecorino Romano, which has a sharper, slightly saltier flavor, would work fine. Grana Padano would also work well, but is slightly milder. You can also omit the parmesan and use mozzarella cheese instead, or even gouda or sharp cheddar cheese - but that's beginning to reach into "different recipe" territory.
• 3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
  • Quality Matters: We're using olive oil at multiple stages of this recipe, so the flavor of the olive oil will come through. That's why I recommend using a decent-quality extra virgin olive oil.
  • Substitute: I really don't recommend swapping out the olive oil, but if you must, I would recommend a flavor-neutral oil such as avocado oil or unsalted butter.
• 1 Sweet Onion, diced
  • Sweet Onions: Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui sweet onions are all great choices and provide natural sweetness without oniony sharpness, which would risk overpowering this recipe.
  • Dice: We want to dice the onions into roughly ¼ inch pieces for even cooking and thorough distribution throughout the filling.
  • Sauté Length: About 5-7 minutes is the sweet spot, over medium heat. The onions need to become translucent and aromatic.
  • Substitute: Yellow onions, which are slightly sharper but will still work well. You can also use white onions, shallots, or green onions/scallions.
• 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • Fresh is Essential: For this recipe, fresh garlic is a must as we want the full aromatic depth that only fresh provides. Dried or jarred garlic simply lacks the aromatic punch for today's savory tomato pie.
  • Chop: Roughly chop the garlic into pieces; there's no need for crushing or fine dicing.
  • Substitute: If fresh isn't available, I would opt for garlic powder, about 1 teaspoon.
• ¼ cup Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • Flat Leaf: We want standard Italian flat-leaf parsley, not curly-leaf parsley. Curly leaf parsley is rarely used as a garnish due to its lack of flavor and aroma. Italian flat leaf parsley, by contrast, brings herbal brightness and freshness that helps to balance the recipe.
  • Chop Finely: We want to chop the parsley up fine so that it evenly distributes through the recipe.
  • Half a Bunch: This recipe uses about a quarter of a cup, which translates to about half a bunch of parsley.
  • Substitutes: My go-to would be a fresh basil and parsley combination, or fresh oregano (but only about two tablespoons, as it is much stronger than parsley).
• 4 Eggs
  • What Size? For this recipe, I would recommend using large eggs.
  • Essential: Eggs are essential for binding the other ingredients together and for creating the filling's custard-like texture.
  • Whisk: Don't skip the whisk. Whisk the eggs and half-and-half together in a medium bowl until they are well combined, and you start seeing bubbles or froth on the top of the mixture.
  • Room Temperature: I cannot stress enough how using room-temperature eggs is one of the easiest ways to improve your kitchen game. Room-temperature ingredients combine more smoothly and evenly, creating better texture.
  • Substitutes: There are no good substitutes for the eggs. Real eggs are crucial for binding the other ingredients and creating the custard-like texture for the filling.
  • No Egg-Free Version? For an egg-free version, this recipe would need significant revision, such that it would be a different recipe entirely.
• 1 cup Half-and-Half
  • Why Half-and-Half and not Heavy Cream? Half-and-Half is 10-12% fat and creates a lighter, more delicate texture for the custard. Heavy cream (36% fat) would make the filling overly rich and dense.
  • Complements the Tomatoes: The lighter dairy texture works to complement the tomatoes by allowing their natural sweetness to shine through, rather than masking it with excessive richness.
  • Substitute: Whole milk plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream will give a close approximation of the half-and-half. Evaporated milk will work, but it will change the flavor profile somewhat. Don't use heavy cream on its own; it will make the filling too dense.
• 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Fine: Use a fine-grain salt for this recipe.
  • Balance: Do not omit, as the salt works to balance and complement the sweetness from the tomatoes and the richness of the dairy.
  • The Cheese: I would reduce the salt slightly if you are using a particularly salty cheese.
• 1 teaspoon Coarse-ground black pepper
  • Fresher is Better: Freshly ground black pepper provides superior aromatics, which we really want for this savory tomato pie.
  • White Pepper? I would not recommend using white pepper for this particular recipe, as it would be thoroughly overpowered.
  • Substitute: If freshly ground black pepper is not available, pre-ground will do just fine, but the aromas will be less intense.

Optional Garnish

1. Fresh Basil Leaves or Chopped Scallions
   • Purely for garnish to add a pop of color to the tomato pie.
2. Large Grain Salt
   • A pinch of large grain salt, such as pink Himalaya, for garnish would work beautifully.

Equipment Essentials

• 9-Inch Pie Dish
  • Standard: All we're looking for here is a standard 9-inch pie dish.
  • Material: Glass, ceramic, or metal all work just fine. Preference, really. One upside of glass is that it allows you to see that the bottom of the crust is properly golden brown.
  • Depth: I would recommend about 1 ½ inches deep to contain the filling.
  • Grease It: I suggest lightly greasing the pan with olive oil or covering it with parchment paper.
  • Substitute: A 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom would be my go-to. You could also use a deep dish pie plate.
• Food Processor
  • Essential: A food processor is essential for processing the toasted bread into breadcrumbs.
  • Substitute: You can use a blender, but it will result in finer crumbs, which are not what we want here for this recipe.
• Medium-Sized Cast-Iron Pan or Skillet
  • For sautéing: We need to sauté the aromatics together to bring out their aromatics for the tomato pie.
  • Cast Iron: I recommend cast iron, as it retains heat well and helps develop the flavor of the aromatics.
  • Substitute: Any heavy-bottomed skillet.
• Medium Bowl (for mixing the filling)
  • Medium Size: The bowl only needs to be large enough to hold the Cherub tomatoes, onions, and Parmesan with room to toss.
  • Material: Glass, stainless steel, or ceramic all work fine.
• Aluminum Foil (optional)
  • For Tenting: If the top of the pie starts browning too early before the center is set, you can lightly tent it with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Print

And that's our Tomato Pie Recipe. If you enjoyed this recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you.

Happy Cooking!