Heirloom Tomato Pie with Homemade Ricotta

Heirloom Tomato Pie with Homemade Ricotta

Tomato Pie! This is a Old Southern Recipe that I modernized with the inclusion of ricotta and removal of mayonnaise. I call these recipes "Charm Recipes" because that is what they are, charming. Oh... and it is delicious! Think deep dish pizza with juicy chunks of tomato instead of sauce.

What you need:

4 large ripe tomatoes
20 or so basil leaves
8 oz of fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup of ricotta
salt
pepper
olive oil drizzle
pastry dough (store bought or your favorite recipe) 

What you do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F
2. Roll out your pastry dough and place in an oiled cast iron skillet or greased pie plate
3. Cut up your tomatoes, basil leaves, and mix in mozzarella, ricotta, salt and pepper
4. Push the pie dough with your fingers into the skillet or pie plate 
5. Prick with a fork, and bake alone for about 10 minutes.
6. Place tomato mixture in pie shell and drizzle with olive oil
7. Bake for 35 minutes or so, until the top is brown and bubbly

Bonus Recipe: Homemade Ricotta

What you need:

2 quarts of whole milk
1 cup of heavy cream
2 Tablespoons of white vinegar
1/2 a teaspoon of kosher salt1 large saucepan
thermometer
cheesecloth
colander
large bowl

What you do:

1. Heat the milk and cream until it reaches 180 degrees F
2. Take off the heat and stir in the vinegar, and stir for 30 seconds
3. Stir in the salt, and stir for another seconds
4. Set a folded quartered cheesecloth in a colander and set in a large bowl
5. Gently pour the milk into the cheesecloth lined colander/bowl
6. Leave to drip on the counter for about 20 minutes or alternatively you can set in the fridge over night and allow the whey gently to drip out.

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy baking!