FRESH TOMATOES ARE GREAT, BUT HAVE YOU TRIED COOKING 'EM?

This Summer Tomato Gratin Has Tomato Pie Vibes

EK: This is the season for tomato lovers! And, if you grew up in the south, tomato pie is ubiquitous. However, IMO the idea of tomato pie is always better than the pie itself.

The juicy nature of ripe tomatoes means that the crust is soggy, no matter what you do. And the typical mayo binder that holds the cheese together doesn’t help. I have gone down a tomato-pie rabbit hole several times and I created a recipe ten years ago that is pretty good, and minimizes the soggy, but the crust is still not ideal.

AU: It’s hard because the very best tomatoes are ones that are brimming with juice… but all that juice ain’t a good mix with crispy!

EK: Exactly! All this is to say that in the middle of tomato season, I thought about making a tomato gratin that would give me all the feels of a tomato pie. I would make it in a pie pan so I could cut wedges like a slice of pie but I wouldn’t have to worry about the inevitable soggy crust.

I still wanted the tomato dish to be light and summery, so I didn’t want to use butter and cream or strong cheeses.

When Anthony and I were brainstorming this idea, he mentioned that he had whipped cottage cheese to use as a base for a pizza and a light bulb went off! I realized that would make a great binder—instead of mayonnaise—and add some protein to the dish, making it a light main course or a substantial side dish.

Plus whipped cottage cheese is so luscious and creamy that it’s a great thing to keep in your fridge, especially if you aren’t a fan of cottage cheese.

AU: It really does give whipped ricotta vibes… I’d eat it schmeared on toast with fresh tomatoes on top, or honestly, on shoe leather.

EK: Next, I gathered all the ingredients that I use in my tomato pie; farm-fresh tomatoes, Vidalia onion, two kinds of Dijon mustard for flavor, fresh basil, salt and pepper and freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese. In addition to the cottage cheese, I added a small log of herbed goat cheese because I love the flavor of goat cheese and tomatoes. Finally, I added one large egg as my binder.

EK: Once I whipped my cottage cheese and goat cheese in my nifty smoothie machine, I added the fresh basil and the egg and pulsed it until well mixed. The reason that I pureed the basil instead of leaving it whole is because I wanted that flavor to be in every bite, not just when I got a bit of the leaf. You can do this in a food processor or blender as well, but my smoothie machine is made for making dips and spreads as well.

Laying the slices of tomato on paper towels to remove the excess moisture is an important step and shouldn’t be skipped.

From Top L to R; Tight layers of thinly sliced tomatoes become the base of this Summer Tomato Gratin, the sweet Vidalia onion adds the perfect savory flavor and tomatoes and onions are as classic as tomatoes and basil! Bottom L to R; The whipped cottage and goat cheese custard is poured over the layers of tomato, onion and topped with cheese before baking.

EK: When I had all my mis en place done, the assembly was simple. I layered the tomatoes, onion and cheese in the bottom of the pie pan making sure that the tomatoes overlapped and made a substantial layer like you do when making lasagna.

The next step was to slowly pour the “custard” (aka cottage cheese-egg mixture) on top. I say slowly because it takes a few minutes for it to seep between the tomatoes and level out. *You can help move things along by lightly stabbing the tomatoes and titling the pie pan slightly.

When the tomatoes were covered by the “custard,” I sprinkled the top with the remaining cheddar cheese and baked it for an hour.

AU: OOOOH BABY YOU’RE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE!!

When the Tomato Gratin is cold, you can cut it into perfect pie-shaped wedges before reheating.

EK: This Tomato Gratin needs to rest and set up before you serve it. It is one of those dishes that tastes so much more delicious and complex than it should given the few and simple ingredients. For tomato lovers like us, it is one of those things like an over-the-sink tomato sandwich that you will have on rotation until tomato season is gone for the year!

It is best served slightly warm or room temperature, but be forewarned that the warmer it is, the more the dish will weep.

Warm, just made, it is good, but it is actually better reheated. Once you refrigerate the dish overnight, it sets up and cuts beautifully in solid wedges making this a perfect dish to make ahead, slice and reheat lightly in the microwave.

Summer Tomato Gratin With Tomato Pie Vibes

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