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.
Getting ready to make this should the pie dough be prebaked?
Hi Iris, no I never pre bake it when I make it. Let me know how it goes.
Hi Rosemary,
Is fontal cheese the same as fontina? The flavor would be compatible with mozzarella but then I noted I could use gruyere (very nutty) or gouda (stronger than fontina).
Thanks for all your delicious recipes.
Hi Louise, yes fontal and fontina are the same. Thanks so much, so glad you like the recipes.
My favourite recipe of all time! It’s easy, it’s fast and it’s delicious.
I made this for supper tonight and my husband said it was the best thing I ever made. I made it with regular pie crust, made from scratch. Thanks so much!
Hi Sharon, thanks so much, yes it is good with a regular pastry crust, and good for you for making it from scratch. Have a great week.
Hello Rosemary! This pie was so delicious! I used the pie crust, shredded low moisture mozzarella , and a Mexican blend I had in the fridge. Used tomatoes from my garden and followed your directions down to the fresh basil. Absolutely wonderful recipe and will make it again. Going to try the puff pasty next time. Love what you do!
Hi Christine, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed the pie and the recipes. What a wonderful compliment. 🙂
I don’t know why you call yourselves italians… That “pie” in Italy is called Focaccia.. and it’s made with bread like dough.. not puff pastry or pie pastry..
Hi Georgy, Actually I am Canadian, but I have been living here for over 20 years. And in Italy a Pie is a “Crostata” and a Focaccia is a “Flat Bread” or type of pizza. Therefore I am correct in making my Tomato Pie with puff pastry or pie pastry and a crostata / pie can be either sweet or savory.
Do you use fresh herbs or dried herbs? Definitely going to make this!
Hi Michelle I actually use dried in the recipe and then fresh basil on top but you could use either or. Let me know how it goes.
Do you use fresh mozzarella? Definitely going to try this!
Hi Michelle, no I used firm mozzarella, because fresh is a bit too watery. 🙂
Just tried this on Monday and my husband has requested it again for Friday. So easy and a great use for all my fresh tomatoes
Hi Shirley, thanks so much, so glad your husband enjoyed it. Have a great day.
Just made it and it was delicious!! I added goat cheese and a used pie crust version. Will be making it again soon!!
Hi Gina, thanks so glad you enjoyed it, sounds delicious with goat cheese. Have a great week.
It looks delicious. will definitely try this in my next trip to Italy
Everything looks so good. I love savory dishes and this would be a big hit in our home. It’s wonderful having your own garden — to think I used to curse our large garden and now I wish I had it. Guess sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have. You do live in a beautiful area *sigh*! All of your recipes on this post looks scrumptious. We’re gearing up for Easter and I assume you are too. Buona Pasqua!
Hi Marisa, thanks so much, yes nothing like a fresh veggie garden. Hope you had a wonderful Easter too. And have a great week.
This looks amazingly delicious!
Thanks so much Renee.
Hello – this looks delicious. Just checking: do you bake the puff pastry first? It says pre-made, so I just want to make sure.
Hi Christine, sorry I get confused with what is available in Italy and in North American, so actually you could use frozen puff pastry, just thaw it before using (follow the directions on the package) it is baked with the rest of the ingredients, so no pre-baking. Hope that helps. 🙂
Thank you, Rosemary. I figured it would all bake at once but just wanted to make sure. My tomato-cheese pie is in the oven now! Can’t wait to taste it. For the first time in a few years, our tomatoes are thriving, so I’m trying to find new recipes that will help use more of them up. I’m envious of your year-round growing season – must be wonderful. 🙂 My eggplant took a beating with excessive heat this year, but next year if I’m lucky with them, I’d like to add some eggplant to this recipe, along with the tomatoes. Thank you again.
Hi Christine, Thanks, hope you enjoy it. Sorry about your eggplant and I bet it would be a great addition. Have a great week! 🙂
This looks so amazingly delicious! My husband is going to love it.
Hi Renee, thanks and I hope your husband enjoys it.