Classic southern tomato pie has layers of pimiento cheese and mayo with fresh heirloom tomatoes and basil. You can make it with or without the peppered bacon as long as you bake it in a buttery pie crust and top with fresh basil!
Slice the tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Lay 3 layers of paper towel across a large baking sheet or several dinner plates and line the tomatoes up in a single layer.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with kosher salt and let them drain for 30 minutes.
Pat the tops of the tomatoes dry with more paper towels and then assemble the pie.
Cook the Bacon (If Using)
While the tomatoes are draining, cook the bacon. If you have pre-cooked bacon, simply crumble it and you're all set.
Blind Bake the Pie Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a deep dish pie plate with your favorite pie crust. A store bought crust makes this recipe extra easy but you can also use a homemade crust if you prefer. Blind bake the pie crust for 10 - 15 minutes or until the bottom is just starting to look a little cooked but not golden brown.
Assemble and Bake the Tomato Pie
Spread the Dijon mustard along the bottom and sides of the pie crust.
Lay 1/3 of the tomato slices on the bottom of the pie crust in a single layer. It is ok to have the edges overlap a little bit as needed to make them fit.
Stir together the mayonnaise and shredded parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture over the layer of tomatoes in small dollops. You won't be able to "spread" it over the tomatoes because it is quite thick but you can pat it into place with the back of your spoon.
Add 1/2 of the crumbled bacon and 1/2 of the chopped basil over the top.
Layer another 1/3 of the tomato slices. Top with the pimento cheese by spooning it in dollops and patting it into place.
Add the remaining bacon and basil evenly over the top.
Finish with the last 1/3 of tomato slices.
Bake the assembled tomato pie for 30 minutes or until the edges of the pie crust are golden brown and the cheese filling has started to bubble.
Let stand for 15 minutes before trying to slice it or the melted cheese will cause the pie slices to fall apart.
Recipe Notes
Notes on Using Peppered Bacon:
To make this a vegetarian tomato pie, omit the bacon. It will not work for a vegan diet because of the cheese but can still be a meatless dish.If you do want to use the peppered bacon, simply cook 6 strips of bacon using your favorite cooking method. I recommend baking the bacon. Season the bacon with plenty of fresh cracked pepper and 1 tbsp of brown sugar or maple sugar.Then crumble and use as directed in the tomato pie recipe above.
Notes on Crispy Pie Crusts:
To ensure the center of your tomato pie has a perfectly crispy bottom crust, you may want to place a baking sheet or pizza stone inside the oven before you preheat it. Let the stone or baking sheet heat with the oven for 30 minutes and then place the assembled tomato pie on it to bake. The hot surface will help give the bottom crust a better chance at getting perfectly crispy.