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.
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!
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.
Brush the pastry with the melted butter, top first with sliced mozzarella, then the sliced fontina/fontal cheese.
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.
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.
Recipe FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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
- Fresh Tomatoes & Sausage Pasta
- 30+ Fresh Tomato Recipes
- Creamy Fresh Tomato Pesto
- Classic Italian Caprese Salad Recipe
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!
Italian Cheese & Tomato Pie
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
Updated from June 4, 2014.
I’ve made this recipe countless times, I’ve gotten so many gorgeous tomatoes and basil this year I just HAD to keep making it! I had great success with frozen pie crust, baked for 9 mins prior to filling with cheeses/tomatoes etc. I have it for breakfast with some eggs, lunch with a salad and dinner with some wine..this is my total go to! I had scads of jalapeños too this year so I thinly sliced some of those to add on top with the basil! Delicious metabolism boost too!
Hi Denise, thanks so much, so glad you like it and great idea you have with the jalapenos! Take care and have a great weekend!
Confused about the inconsistency in the directions that say to use a pizza pan when the photos clearly show a tart pan with removable sides. Which makes much more sense
Hi Julia, in Italy basically my tart pan and my pizza pan are the same size. So I went with that 🙂
This is delish! Made according to directions. Used mozzarella and guyere cheese. Definitely a keeper!
Hi Jody, thanks so much so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
This recipe looks incredible. Our garden is producing wonderful tomatoes and I’m testing recipes to show them off in pies or tarts. Other tomato pie recipes have called for at least partially pre-baking the crust (I’m using quality store bought) prior to layering the cheese or tomatoes. If I’m reading yours correctly, I just butter and then layer the cheese and tomatoes in an unbaked crust. Please correct me if I’m misunderstanding. Looking forward to trying it!
Hi Bill, thanks so much, and yes you are reading it correctly, butter and layer the cheese and tomatoes on the unbaked crust. If you want you can prick the pie crust with a fork before brushing with butter. I hope you enjoy it. Take care and have a great weekend.
I have made this recipe in the past exactly as written, and it is wonderful. However, tonight I didn’t have any fontina cheese so I used Asiago cheese with the mozzarella – it was superb.
Hi Carolyn, thanks so much, and yes Asiago cheese is so good. Take care!
Me again! It looks like you used a metal tart pan with removeable bottom, would that be the best type of pan to use?
Hi Ally, I use that because I fine it very convenient, I like how the pie pops out, but you could use a regular pie dish. Be sure to grease and flour the pan. Hope that helps. Take care.
Hi Rosemary, will a 10″ ceramic tart dish work for this?
Hi Ally yes it will work, you might need to add a bit more ingredients. Let me know how it goes.
Hi-Looks fantastico!!! Sorry I am confused. Pie crust recipe says makes 2 8 inch pies. Recipe calls for a 12 inch pan. How do I do this? Thanks-Armond
Hi Armond, if you use homemade pie crust use more than half the recipe to make the tomato pie, the remaining can be frozen for future use. Hope that helps.
Hi Rosemary
I love your recipes and have made may of them but this one has me a little confused…at the start of the recipe you say use fontina cheese with mozzarella …but then later in the recipe you say to you use fontal…..I love fontina so i dont mind either ….but wanted to get it straight
Also am happy to see how many vegetarian dishes you have
Thank you
Hi Merryn, sorry about that, yeah either one is good, I updated the post to include both. Thanks so much, so glad you like the recipes, and I have more vegetarian on the way. Take care.
Made the tomato and cheese pie last night – i used a pie crust not puff pasty and added some Asiago cheese on the mozzarella. My husband loved it and my 90yr mom ate 2 pieces last night and finished the 2 pieces left for lunch today. Definitely will be made more often and it was very easy,
Hi Carol, thanks so much, so glad it was enjoyed, especially by your Mom. Take care.
Hi Rosmary
I made this “Italian cheese & tomato pie” with a gluten free pastry made by myself.
It’s a fantastic substitute for pizza for those who cannot eat wheat flour.
Anyway, I am 100% Italian and had never heard of this recipe before.
Thank you very much for sharing it!
Paola
Hi Paola, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful Sunday.
I’ve made this a couple times before and so good but this time I was in a hurry Nd forgot to butter the puff pastry do you think it will be ok
Hi Val I think it will be fine, let me know how it goes.
Made this tomatoe pie a few times now and my family just loves it especially good with tomatoes right out of the garden
Thanks for sharing
Val
Thanks Val, glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care.
Was really goid just wondering when using puff pastry do you put a sheet on at a time and brush with butter how many layers do you use
Hi Val, no I don’t layer it I just roll it out and make the recipe. Is that what you mean?
Wonderful recipe … was skeptical about the crust, but it turned out great. Will be making this often. Thanks, you taught an ‘old dog’ a new trick
Thanks Chris, and glad I could teach you a good trick! 🙂