Thursday, September 17, 2015

A Last Fresh Taste of Summer | Tomato and Corn Pie

Thyme

I'm well aware that fall is fast approaching -- it's my favorite time of year! I get to celebrate my wedding anniversary and (a milder celebration!) for my birthday.

Still, it's hard to let go of summer, knowing that this beautiful fall season is short-lived and it's a harbinger of five months of snow on the ground in Pennsylvania!

I want to savor these precious waning days of summer. A tomato and corn pie has long been on my list of "things I gotta make." And finally I did it and it was worth the wait.

It's a perfect farewell to summer freshness, celebrating two of my favorite foods. Although corn and tomatoes can be found year-round, they are at their freshest best in summer.

They pair together exceptionally well. Mr. Rosemary tells me that as a child, his family would make meals out of just corn and tomatoes, although then, as now, he shies away from the fresh tomatoes.

When I first explored which recipe I was going to try, I was sorely tempted to make one from Smitten Kitchen. Double-crusted, with plenty of cheese, and a bit of mayonnaise, this pie was a favorite of James Beard and Laurie Colwin. How could you go wrong with endorsements like that?

Still, I'm standing guard over my waistline and feeling a need for moderation. So I turned to this lighter version from Eating Well.  It was very satisfying despite being scaled down some. I changed the recipe only slightly, upping the cheese (I'm no saint!) and using basil instead of time. The original recipe also includes a whole wheat pie crust, but I opted for convenience and used store bought pastry.

I ended up eating this myself, over several days, mind you. But I wonder, if I added bacon or sausage, would Mr. Rosemary go for it? A question that will likely never be answered.

Tomato-Corn Pie
Adapted from Eating Well
Makes 8 servings
Pastry for one crust pie, your own or store-bought
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, preferably deep-dish, and press into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any overhanging crust. Line the dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper large enough to lift out easily; fill evenly with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil or paper and weights. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.
To prepare the filling: Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Sprinkle half the cheese over the crust, then layer half the tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle with corn, basil, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and the remaining  cheese. Layer the remaining tomatoes on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
Bake the pie until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.


18 comments:

  1. Delicious! Happy fall and all of your celebrations that come with it.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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    1. We're off on our anniversary trip, Bonnie. As much as I love to cook, don't mind not having to for a few days!

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  2. Hello, Rosemary! Thanks so much for stopping at my place and commenting today. I love the title of your blog :) I've made the Tomato and Corn Pie from Epicurious (it also had a bit of mayo in it) and I remember it was quite tasty. Your version sounds equally delicious!

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    1. I did want to try the Epicurious one, but I wimped out. This was still very good, but I want the rich stuff now and again, too.

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  3. I love being able to use the two best parts of summer eating in a recipe. This looks perfect. This is the last weekend of summer and I miss it already. I need to use the last of those good tomatoes. Thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. And I'll be roasting tomatoes next, Cher. I just wish they were this good all year round.

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  4. I have never had a tomato corn pie and it surely looks very delicious!

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  5. This sounds so good!! I feel like I didn't eat enough corn this summer..

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    1. I liked this so much, Cathleen, I'm wondering how I could "make do" in the winter!

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  6. Each summer that we were in Maine, my husband and I would often make a meal of fresh corn and tomatoes from the garden. This would be a winner in our house. I hope you had a wonderful Anniversary.

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    1. My husband's family often made meals of tomatoes and corn. Funny he really didn't go for this pie! (Our anniversary was great, Karen.)

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  7. I love fall -- it's my favorite season. But it's hard to let go of summer, isn't it? Fun thing is, at this time of the year we get both seasons. Sort of. ;-) This is terrific -- and we still have a ripe tomato or two in our garden. Thanks for this.

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    1. Save this one, John, it's a good one; and so is the richer one, but if you can can good and less fattening in one, why not?

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  8. Love, love, love autumn! And so far - having a beautiful one. We still have color, most of our annuals and unbelievably - there are still local tomatoes. No more corn - but this can still be made. Love finding new ways to use tomatoes and think I enjoy savory pies more than sweet ones. Hope your autumn celebrations are delightful!

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    1. It is my favorite season, Claudia, hate to let it go. But this tomato and corn combination was a great way to hold on to the last few good bites of summer.

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  9. I'm a little late to the party here, but will keep this recipe in mind for next season's bounty of tomatoes and corn. It looks delicious.

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    1. Just fashionably late, Linda . . . . and you'll love this pie.

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