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Easy Italian Cheese & Tomato Pie

This Cheese & Tomato Pie, is the perfect appetizer or Main Dish. A fast and easy savory tart made with fresh tomatoes, cheese and basil. The perfect Summer dish.

Tomato pie on a white board, with a serving spatula.


 

It is almost my favourite time of the year,  tomato season, actually, I’m pretty sure you can get tomatoes year round almost everywhere, I still believe there’s nothing like a fresh tomato straight out of the garden, or even out of a pot.

You should try it one day,  get some dirt, a couple of huge pots and plant some tomato plants in each pot. And while you’re at it, a little pot of basil won’t hurt either! The perfect combination Tomatoes and Basil especially made in this tasty Tomato Pie Recipe.

Ingredients for the Pie

  • Pie Crust: For this you can use either store bought short crust or puff pastry. Either work really well.
  • Butter: It coats the crust which helps to keep it from getting soggy.
  • Cheese: For this I used a firm mozzarella which still gives you a cheese pull but won’t make the tart soggy. I also used a creamy Italian, Fontina/Fontal, you can substitute with swiss, gruyere, gouda or even provolone.
  • Tomatoes: Make sure the tomatoes are mature but firm, you can always remove the seeds and pulp.
  • Oregano: I love using oregano, I love the taste and the flavour it gives the tart, you can always substitute with thyme or marjoram.
  • Basil: This is also a flavour enhancer and goes perfect with fresh tomatoes.
  • Salt: It adds flavour to the recipe.
  • Olive Oil: It is a delicious flavour enhancer and a good fat.
  • Fresh Basil: Nothing like fresh basil to bring out the best in tomatoes and the aroma!
Tomato pie with a slice cut on a cake server.

How to make the Cheese & Tomato Pie

Pre-made pie crust or puff pastry crust. You can always make your own if you which using either my Homemade Savory Pie Crust or Homemade Puff Pastry Dough.

Line the prepared pie plate with the dough, thinly slice the mozzarella, fontina and tomatoes.

The crust in the pie plate & the cheese & tomatoes sliced on a board.

Brush the pastry with the melted butter, top first with sliced mozzarella, then the sliced fontina/fontal cheese.

The cheese on the pie crust.

Finally top with the slices of tomato (if they are really seedy i remove the seeds & pulp) sprinkle with salt, oregano and basil, drizzle with olive oil and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Remove and top with chopped fresh basil before serving.

The tomato slices on top of the cheese with spices sprinkled on top.

I have made this pie quite a few times, with both savory and puff pastry dough and either are quite delicious, it really depends on your preference.

Tomato pie on a wooden board.

Recipe FAQs

What are the best tomatoes for baking?

For baking in a pie the best tomatoes are low water content tomatoes, such as Roma or Plum tomatoes. I also like cherry or even grape tomatoes. Make sure the tomatoes are firm but ripe. If you find they have a lot of seeds or pulp just remove them before baking.

How to keep the pie from getting soggy.

You can go an extra step and sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and let them drain for about 20 minutes, this help remove any excess liquid and keep your pie from being soggy. Although removing the seeds and pulp also helps keep the pie firm.

How to store it

Any leftover Pie should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 2-3 days. I like to serve this pie warm from the oven but it can also be served at room temperature. Or you can re-heat it in a low oven for about 10 minutes.

Can it be frozen?

It probably isn’t a good idea to freeze the baked Tomato Pie because the tomatoes can make the crust soggy.

More Fresh Tomato Recipes

So whatever crust you decide to make this yummy Cheese & Tomato Pie with, I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!

an up close photo of a slice of tomato pie.
Tomato pie on a white board, with a serving spatula.

Italian Cheese & Tomato Pie

Rosemary Molloy
Easy Italian Fresh Tomato Cheese Pie, a delicious Italian healthy summer savory pie recipe, the perfect appetizer or main dish.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 276 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pre-made pie crust or puff pastry
  • 1 tablespoon butter melted
  • 7 ounces firm mozzarella thinly sliced (200 grams)
  • 5 1/4 ounces fontal cheese / gouda / gruyere (or any soft cheese of choice) (150 grams)
  • 2 ripe / firm tomatoes thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling
  • 3-5 leaves fresh basil

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 375° (190°). Lightly grease a 12 inch (30 cm) round pizza pan.
  • Place the puff pastry / savory crust on the prepared pan, brush the pastry with the melted butter, top with first the thinly sliced mozzarella, then the thinly sliced fontal cheese, and finally top with the thin slices of tomato (if they are really seedy i remove the seeds & pulp) sprinkle with salt, oregano and basil, drizzle with olive oil.
  • Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until golden. Remove and top with chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

Updated from June 4, 2014.

69 Comments

  1. Rosemary:
    Once my tomatoes are ripe from my garden I’ll be making the tomato pie. Love all your recipes. Thank you.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this yesterday and it was DELICIOUS!! I used puff pastry along with the cheeses in the recipe. I know it’s going on the “repeat” list because the family approved. Thanks for sharing this.

  3. 5 stars
    Thanks Rosemary, I happened to have all the ingredients in the house to make this pie! O my gosh, it’s so delicious and easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing this recipe, all your recipes in advance!

4.86 from 56 votes (33 ratings without comment)

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