Go Back
cut out of the southern tomato pie

Southern Tomato Pie

Ripe tomatoes layered with roasted sweet corn, sharp white cheddar, Parmesan, Vidalia onion, and basil in a flaky homemade crust.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rest Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 Slices
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Ingredients Instructions Notes

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust
  • 1 blind-baked crust Use my 9-inch Signature Butter-Lard Pie Crust
  • 1 egg white for sealing the blind-baked crust
Tomatoes
  • 700 g ripe tomatoes sliced ¼-inch thick (about 4 medium tomatoes)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for draining the tomatoes
Corn & Cheese Filling
  • 360 g roasted corn kernels about 3 cups, from 3–4 medium ears
  • 170 g sharp white cheddar cheese freshly shredded (6 oz)
  • 50 g shaved Parmesan cheese
  • 40 g mayonnaise
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 70 g Vidalia onion finely diced
  • 10 g fresh basil, chopped (about 20–25 medium leaves; reserve a small amount for garnish)
  • 4 roasted garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 1¼ tbsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp dried thyme optional, but recommended
  • 1 tsp olive oil or butter for sautéing the onion and roasting the corn

Instructions
 

Prepare and Seal the Crust
  1. Blind-bake a 9-inch Signature Butter-Lard Pie Crust following the Man-Made Pies blind-baking instructions.
    full blind baked crust
  2. While the crust is still hot, brush the bottom and sides with egg white and return it to the oven for 2–3 minutes, until the egg white is dry.
  3. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling.
    4. Man-Made Tip: The egg-white barrier helps protect the flaky bottom crust from moisture in the tomato filling. Don't skip this step.
Salt and Drain the Tomatoes
  1. Slice most of the tomatoes about ¼ inch thick.
  2. Reserve the best-looking tomatoes for the top of the pie and slice them slightly thinner.
  3. Arrange the slices in a single layer on paper towels, lightly salt both sides, and cover with additional paper towels.
  4. Let rest for 30–45 minutes, then pat thoroughly dry.
    5. Man-Made Tip: Tomatoes hold a surprising amount of water. Salting and drying them before assembly is the key to a rich filling that isn't watery. The thinner slices on top also brown more attractively.
Roast the Corn and Cook the Onion
  1. Heat a small amount of the olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add the diced Vidalia onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened and translucent.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
  4. Cut the kernels from 3–4 ears of corn, measuring approximately 360g.
  5. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining oil or butter.
    roasted corn in a cast iron skillet
  6. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned with caramelized edges, about 6–8 minutes for fresh corn or 4–6 minutes for leftover cooked corn.
  7. Stir in the roasted garlic during the final minute.
  8. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
    corn and vidalia onion
    9. Man-Made Tip: Leftover cooked corn works beautifully here. A quick roast in a hot cast-iron skillet concentrates its sweetness and adds flavor without much extra work.
Make the Corn and Cheese Filling
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled roasted corn and garlic, sautéed Vidalia onion, sharp white cheddar, Parmesan, mayonnaise, eggs, egg yolk, chopped basil, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and optional dried thyme.
  2. Stir gently until evenly combined.
Layer the Filling and Tomatoes
  1. Spread half of the corn and cheese filling evenly into the cooled, blind-baked crust.
  2. Arrange a layer of the ¼-inch tomato slices over the filling, slightly overlapping them.
    corn and tomato layer
  3. Spread the remaining corn filling over the tomatoes.
    added corn and cheese mixture
  4. Finish with the reserved thinner tomato slices, overlapping them across the top.
    added tomato's in a finished pie
  5. Leave the tomatoes uncovered so they can lightly brown during baking.
    6. Man-Made Tip: Give the tomato slices one final blot with paper towels before layering if they've released additional moisture.
Bake Until Set
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the filling is set, the crust is golden brown, the top tomatoes begin to brown around the edges, and the center reaches approximately 190–195°F.
  3. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them loosely with a pie shield or aluminum foil.
    Southern tomato corn pie
Rest, Finish, and Serve
  1. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow it to rest for up to 2 hours before slicing. As the pie cools, the filling continues to set, making cleaner slices.
  2. Sprinkle with additional freshly chopped basil just before serving.
  3. Serve warm, or refrigerate within 2 hours of removing the pie from the oven. If it hasn't cooled completely, refrigerate it uncovered until cool, then cover.
  4. For the best flavor and firmest slices, refrigerate overnight and enjoy the following day.

Notes

Corn: Fresh summer corn is ideal, but frozen corn also works. Thaw completely and pat dry before roasting.
Tomatoes: Heirloom tomatoes are excellent for this recipe and add beautiful color. Choose varieties that are ripe but still firm enough to slice.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3–4 days. Serve chilled, gently reheated, or allow individual slices to come toward room temperature briefly before serving.