Description
Rustic Italian cheese and tomato pie delivers Mediterranean comfort on a plate, bringing sun-drenched flavors from Naples to your kitchen. Simple ingredients blend into a mouthwatering celebration of fresh produce and classic culinary traditions you’ll savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pre-made pie crust or puff pastry
- 7 ounces (198 grams) firm mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 5.14 ounces (146 grams) fontal cheese / gouda / gruyere
- 2 ripe / firm tomatoes, thinly sliced
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1.5 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 0.25 – 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 3 – 5 leaves fresh basil
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1.25 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Prepare a pie dish and position the oven rack to the middle position, heating to 375F (190C).
- Gently coat the pre-made pie crust or puff pastry with a thin layer of melted butter, carefully pressing it into the pie dish.
- Create a foundation of mozzarella slices, distributing them evenly across the entire crust surface.
- Overlay the mozzarella with complementary cheese varieties like fontal, gouda, or gruyere, ensuring complete coverage.
- Artfully arrange thin tomato slices across the cheese layers, slightly overlapping for visual appeal and consistent flavor distribution.
- Enhance the pie’s flavor profile by generously sprinkling a blend of dried oregano, fresh basil, and a pinch of salt over the tomatoes.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a delicate, circular motion to add richness and moisture to the pie.
- Transfer the pie to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, monitoring until the crust turns a golden brown and the cheese becomes irresistibly bubbly and slightly crisp at the edges.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves, allowing them to wilt slightly from the residual heat before serving.
Notes
- Choose high-quality, fresh mozzarella and aged cheeses for a richer, more complex flavor profile.
- Pat tomato slices dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture before layering to ensure a crisp, flaky bottom crust.
- Crush dried herbs between your fingers before sprinkling to release more intense aromatics and boost the overall taste of the pie.
- Swap traditional pie crust with gluten-free alternatives or use a cauliflower crust for a low-carb version that still delivers delicious Italian-inspired flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 521 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg