Tomato Pie from Vivian Howard

a chefs life series
Vivian-Howard-with-tomato-pie_toquemag
For the Filling
2 cups diced and drained fresh tomatoes
2 cups diced and roasted tomatoes
1 cup caramelized onions
1/2 cup picked basil
salt
pepper
sugar

For the Topping
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/3 cup grated Fontina
1/2 cup mayo
1 pie crust

For the diced and drained tomatoes
Seed and dice about 3 cups fresh, high-quality tomatoes. Toss them with a little kosher salt and sugar. Set over a colander while you prepare the remaining ingredients if possible. If not, drain for a minimum of an hour. You should be left with about 2 cups of tomato.
For the roasted tomatoes
Seed and dice 4 cups fresh, high quality tomatoes. Toss them with olive oil (at C&F we use garlic oil), plenty of kosher salt, and several sprigs of thyme. Spread this mix out on a baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. You want the tomatoes to be dry and slightly caramelized, but not burned around the edges.

For the Onions
Peel and slice (with the grain) 4 medium yellow onions. In a large sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup butter. Add the onions and season them with salt. Let the onions simmer and become juicy. Once the situation becomes a bit drier and much of the onion liquid has cooked out, turn down the heat, to its lowest setting and settle in for a long, slow caramelize. To get these onions where they need to be, it could take about 2 hours. You are looking for a medium brown, sweet caramelization.

To Assemble the Filling
Combine the onions, fresh tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Keep in mind, tomatoes take a lot of seasoning to really make them shine in applications like this.

To Bake and Serve
Spread the filling over the bottom of a blind-baked crust. Flatten the topping between wax paper or use your good ol’ hands to create a 1/3 inch thick round of delicious, cheesy topping that spreads nearly to the edges of the pie. Bake at 375 degrees until the top is nicely browned…20-25 minutes. Serve at just over room temperature.

Tips/Techniques
At Chef Vivian Howard’s restaurant, the Chef & the Farmer, they make a tight aioli to fold into the cheeses, but you can substitute your favorite brand of mayo to great effect. As for the crust… Chef Howard will add the crust recipe when she gather it from Kim, their pastry chef. For now, use your favorite crust recipe or even a frozen crust…and blind bake it!

ACL_tomato-pie

Cheesy Kale Sweet Potato Tart from the woks of life

IMG_2491For the pastry:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cold water
For the filling:
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped leeks
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small sweet potato
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1 cup ricotta
1/2 cup shredded cheese (gruyere, aged cheddar, or manchego work great for this)

 NOTE: very good baked in pie plate without crust

Start by making the crust. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together the egg yolk and water, and add it to the flour mixture. Mix everything together with a fork until the dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour. Take out of the refrigerator about a few minutes before you’re ready to roll it out.

Roll out the dough and fit it to your tart pan. You may have to patch it up a bit, but don’t worry, it’ll turn out great. Pierce the dough all over with a fork and place the tart shell in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the kale, crushed red pepper flakes, and a couple drizzles of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another couple minutes, just until the kale is wilted. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (210 degrees C). Blind bake the tart shell for 10 minutes, and remove from the oven. If you see it starting to puff up at all, poke the dough with a fork again!

Prep your potato by peeling it and slicing it paper-thin. A mandolin helps, but a sharp knife will do the job. Add the thyme and ricotta to the kale mixture. Place a layer of sweet potato slices in the bottom of the tart shell. Spread the kale and cheese mixture evenly over that, and top with another layer of sweet potato slices. Brush the top thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle the cheese over the tart. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Mushroom and Stout Potpies With Sweet Potato Crusts

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  • 6 tablespoons grape seed oil (or other neutral oil), plus more for greasing the ramekins
  • 4 large shallot lobes, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2 medium leeks (white part only), chopped
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus extra thyme sprigs for garnish
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, portobello and shiitake), stemmed, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons spelt flour or whole-wheat flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)
  • 2 cups stout or other dark, heavy beer
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or other soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound sweet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease eight 8-ounce ramekins or the baking dishes of your choice (see headnote) with a little oil and set on a baking sheet.

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leeks and all but 1 teaspoon of the thyme to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, until the leeks are tender. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot all at once. Cook until the mushrooms are collapsed, tender and glistening, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stir and cook for about a minute, until the flour no longer tastes raw.

Pour the stout into the pot, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar and tamari. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is gently bubbling and cook until the liquid is reduced and as thick as gravy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the olives and chopped parsley. Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper.

Divide the mushroom mixture among the ramekins. Layer the sweet potato slices on top, overlapping the rounds as you go, until there are 2 solid layers of sweet potatoes on each dish. Brush the sweet potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle equally with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the 1 teaspoon of pepper and the remaining chopped thyme.

Cover the ramekins with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake the potpies for 30 to 40 minutes or until the mushroom mixture is bubbling and the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the foil, turn the oven to broil, and return the pot pies to the broiler for just a minute or two, until the sweet potatoes are nicely browned. (Watch carefully, so they don’t burn.) Garnish with the thyme sprigs. Serve hot.   8 servings

Adapted from a recipe by Laura Wright on TheFirstMess.com

Brown Sugar-Cranberry Tart from food & wine

TART SHELLCranberry Tart at Hudson Ranch. LeeHudson_Thanksgiving_FW_Nov2012

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING AND TOPPING

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups cranberries (10 ounces)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

  1. MAKE THE TART SHELL In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and salt, scrape down the side of the bowl and beat at low speed until smooth. Gradually add the flour, beating until the dough just forms a ball. Pat the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  2. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Carefully peel off the top layer of parchment paper and invert the dough onto a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Peel off the parchment paper and gently press the dough into the pan. Trim the dough flush with the rim. Patch any cracks with the dough trimmings. Lightly prick the bottom with a fork. Refrigerate the tart shell until firm, about 30 minutes, or freeze for 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell for about 30 minutes, until the rim is lightly golden. Remove the foil and weights and bake the tart shell for about 5 minutes longer, until it is lightly golden all over. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet. Increase the oven temperature to 375°.
  4. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar with the water and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries, cover and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the pan from the heat and let the cranberries cool to room temperature. Drain the cranberries well; reserve the cranberry syrup.
  5. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and flour. Whisk in the half-and-half and the almond extract. Spread the cranberries in the tart shell. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the reserved cranberry syrup over the cranberries, then pour in the almond custard.
  6. Bake the tart in the lower third of the oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the tart in the pan to a rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours. Dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Salted Caramel Pie from food & wine

1 1/4 cups gra201111-r-salted-caramel-pieham cracker crumbs (about 5 ounces)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
Fleur de sel
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and light brown sugar until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch glass or metal pie plate. Bake for about 10 minutes, just until lightly browned. Let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425°.
  2. Scrape the condensed milk into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of fleur de sel. Cover the dish with foil and place it in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach one-third of the way up the side of the baking dish. Bake, lifting the foil to stir 2 or 3 times, until the condensed milk is golden and thickened, about 2 hours; add more water to the roasting pan as necessary. The consistency of the caramel should be like dulce de leche. Don’t worry if it is lumpy; it will smooth out as it chills.
  3. Scrape the caramel filling into the pie crust, smoothing the top. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and cover the pie. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled and set, at least 4 hours.
  4. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream with the confectioners’ sugar until firm. Remove the plastic. Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Cut into wedges and serve.
MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 up to 5 days ahead. Refrigerate the crust and filling separately.

 

Summer Squash Pie Recipe from tasteofhome.com

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1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2-1/2 cups sliced zucchini (1/4 inch slices)
2-1/2 cups sliced yellow summer squash (1/4 inch slices)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large tomato, sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar or part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise

 

  • Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 5 minutes. Remove foil; brush lightly with egg. Bake 5 minutes longer. Remove to a wire rack; reduce heat to 350°
  • In a large nonstick skillet, saute zucchini and yellow squash in oil for 10 minutes or until very tender. Sprinkle with seasonings; spoon into pastry shell. Top with tomatoes. Combine the cheese and mayonnaise; spread over the top.
  • Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/summer-squash-pie#ixzz36XR8xull

Tomato Pie, AZ Chris

1 9 inch pie shell
1/2 onion, chopped
6 or 7 Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup basil, sliced
2 cups grated cheese, (combination of mozz., parmesan, feta, gruyere, cheddar…)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt, (or sour cream)
1 tsp. hot sauce, (or ground chipotle)
salt & pepper

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1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place pie shell in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

2. Cut tomatoes into quarters and seed. Lightly salt the tomatoes and then put them meat side down on paper towels to drain out liquid. Let them sit for 15 minutes. Then chop.

3. Sprinkle the bottom of the pie shell with chopped onion. Spread the tomatoes over the onions. Spread remaining onion and basil over the onions.

4. In medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, yogurt, hot sauce or ground chipotle, salt and pepper. Mixture should be the consistency of a gooey dough. Spread over the top of the vegies in the pie shell. Place in oven and bake until browned and bubbly, anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes.

Notes: This is really yummy!

This recipe lends itself to a multitude of additions or substitutions. I added chopped sweet red pepper and smoked paprika. Poblanos, cumin, cilantro would be great too. Anything that goes with tomatoes!

Any mixture of cheeses would be good, but I would make cheddar a very small part. Due to the liquid nature of the tomatoes, cheddar would add too much additional liquid (oil). I used mozzarella, queso fresco and about a 1/4 cup of cheddar which was a litlle on the bland side. Gruyere would be really good! Feta would be excellent – but doesn’t melt much so make sure it’s well mixed.

Notes from Mary: This is almost identical to my recipe except it just calls for parmesan and
cheddar mix, along with a little minced rosemary. I like the gruyere idea.
Also, mind calls for sliced tomatoes rather than quartered. Tomatoes merge
with other ingredients. Does it do the same with the quarters and slices
easily?

Roasted Apple, Shallot and Blue Cheese Tart, Melissa Clark

This sweet and savory apple tart is both substantial and sophisticated. The chewy, pizza-like crust is fortified with three kinds of flour. The topping is a comforting, mellow jumble of sweet roasted apples and shallots scented with thyme and zipped up with pungent blue cheese.

1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
5 grams sugar (1 teaspoon)
150 grams all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups), more as needed
55 grams whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)
60 grams fine cornmeal (1/2 cup)
10 grams fine sea salt (2 1/4 teaspoons), more as needed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 1/4 pounds apples, cored, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 pound shallots, peeled, trimmed, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 thyme branches
3/4 cup finely crumbled blue cheese
Flaky sea salt

Place 3/4 cup lukewarm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over water. Let stand until frothy, about 5 minutes.

In another large bowl, whisk together both flours, cornmeal and 8 grams (1 3/4 teaspoons) salt. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; stir in yeast mixture and 1/3 cup oil until mixture is combined. If the dough seems dry, add a little more water. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough is smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes. Or, knead in a mixer or food processor fit with the dough blade for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temperature until dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

While dough rises, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together apples, shallots, 1/4 cup oil, 2 grams ( 1/2 teaspoon) salt, the black pepper and thyme. Spread onto two large baking sheets. Roast, tossing occasionally, until mixture is tender and golden, about 30 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Punch down dough and transfer to baking sheet. Using a rolling pin or your fingers, roll or stretch dough to make an even layer about 3/16-inch thick. Scatter apple-shallot mixture over crust. Scatter cheese on top. Drizzle with oil and season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Transfer pan to oven and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is just melted, 17 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve.

YIELD 12 servings

Cranberry Pie, family favorite from Aunt Nan

pie
Pre-bake 9 inch pie shell for 5-8 minutes in 425 degree oven.

Then add the following:

2 c. Cranberries-
1 c. currents or raisins
1 c. sugar-            Mix together and place in pie shell
2 tbsp. Flour-
pinch of salt-

1 tsp. Almond flavoring-
½ tsp. Vanilla extract-              Mix together and sprinkle over above
¾ c. boiling water-

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes or longer, or until the center bubbles pink.