Tomato Corn Pie with Biscuit Crust

I am a third generation Florida "cracker". You won't find too many of those there today. Most people who live in South Florida now came by way of New York, New Jersey, or somewhere that has at least 5 months of really cold weather. I permanently moved to Georgia on Super Bowl Sunday in 1987. We packed up and left balmy January temperatures in Florida only to arrive to snow on the ground in Georgia!

My hometown used to be a rural area with lots of farms. I grew up eating all kinds of fresh vegetables - squash, tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, corn! What could be better than a supper of fresh vegetables right out of the garden? My Daddy always had a small garden in our back yard.

My Mom is from Kentucky, and during the summer we would go visit her parents. My Granddaddy truly had a green thumb. He had a garden full of onions, beans, peas, yellow squash, zucchini, corn and tomatoes and lots of beautiful flowers. Grandmother would let my sister and I set up a table in the front yard, make a sign advertising "vegetables for sale", and earn some spending money! Sitting around the supper table listening to my Granddaddy tell us stories was my favorite time of day. And eating squash, tomatoes, green beans, and corn while we listened wasn't bad either.

When I came across this recipe from Dinner with Julie, it reminded me of summers in Kentucky. I added vidalia onions instead of chives.

Tomato-Corn Pie with Biscuit Crust

Crust: 2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup milk

Filling: 1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
6-8 Roma tomatoes
2 cups corn, cut from the cob (about 3 ears)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped chives or 1/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Blend flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor or bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer). Add the butter and blend with a fork or pasty cutter (or pulse in the food processor, or mix with mixer) until blended with pieces no bigger than a pea. If you're using a food processor, transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the milk and stir until you have a soft dough.

Divide the dough in half, with one half just slightly larger than the other) and roll the larger piece on a floured countertop (or between two pieces of waxed or parchment paper) into a 12" round; transfer to a pie plate and gently fit it inside without stretching. Trim off any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Whisk together the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Peel tomatoes, then cut in half. With a small spoon or fork, gently remove the seeds and extra juices. Then slice crosswise into 1/4 - 1/2" thick slices. Arrange half of tomatoes in the crust, followed with half the corn, half the basil, chives or onions, salt and pepper to taste, and one cup of the grated cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives or onions, salt and pepper. Gently spread mayonnaise over the filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12" round and fit it over the filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching or crimping the edge of crust to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust, and brush crust with a bit of olive oil or melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pie is golden and bubbly. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature. (Do ahead - Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350 degrees F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.)

Pink Apron Girl