tomato cheddar pie

My husband thinks he should start a blog Stuff My Wife Says, because apparently this pregnancy brain is hilarious. It seems I have fallen into the typical forget everything and remember nothing syndrome as I constantly walk out of the house forgetting keys and walking into doors — which clearly don’t move and are pretty obviously there right in front of me, ugh. I’ve sported many goose egg-ed foreheads and looked like the crazy lady on the block as I’m always banging on the door so my husband can let me in to gather the essentials needed to actually go somewhere (ahem: keys, purse, wallet, shoes).

Josh: How bout a hug?

Me: Nah, I gotta pee…

–

Josh: Glad to see you’re still in your pajamas at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

Me: Well! I’ve been working all day!

–

He laughs hysterically at me all the time telling me I am like Kramer walking into Jerry’s apartment and slathering my face with butter. And he is (of course) Jerry who asks, What are you doing? Apparently I give Kramer like responses: Well, I was out of butter at my house Jerry! Responses so ludicrous but yet make perfect sense (to the Kramer me) yet don’t answer the question with something legit.

Not that I mind my husband getting his daily dose of funny from me but I decided to stuff his mouth with something other than laughter. A tomato pie, which is more like a deep dish pizza pie, that is layered with cheeses, sour cream and chives sitting on top of a puffy buttermilk crust. And if there is anything you should know about my husband (besides the fact that he is obsessed with chocolate peanut butter and Seinfeld equally) is that he is a literal pizza monger. He is having a bad day? Give him pizza. You want to make him feel super special? Give him pizza. You want to please him, be nice to him, make him shut up? Give him pizza. It is like the cure all, and I have discovered it, and used it, and will continue to do so until the day I die.

Josh and Meg are currently sitting on beach chairs sipping wine water as they bask in their beached whale like state (and totally don’t care). Responses will be slow, but recipes will keep coming as her pregnancy brain didn’t forget about you (awwwww).

One Year Ago: Egg Salad Sandwiches with Tarragon

Tomato Cheddar Pie
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk

Filling:
2 pounds large ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 1/2 cups (8 – 9 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced chives
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Crust: Whisk first four ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until coarse meal forms and some small lumps remain. Stir in buttermilk and knead gently with your hands until dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for at least one hour or over night.

Filling: Lay tomato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with 2 layers of paper towels. Place another 2 layers of paper towels on top of tomatoes. Let stand for 30 minutes to drain.

Preheat oven to 425-degrees. On a lightly floured surface gently roll out dough to an 11-inch round. Place dough inside of the pie pan letting the edges over hang.

Toss both cheeses together in a medium bowl. Whisk sour cream, chives, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over the bottom and sides of the crust then top with 1/2-cup cheese mixture. Arrange half of the tomato slices over the cheese, over lapping if needed. Spread half of the sour cream mixture over the tomatoes. Repeat layering with 1 cup of cheese mixture, the remaining tomato slices and remaining sour cream mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture over top. Fold overhanging crust up and over the edges of the cheese.

Bake pie until crust is golden and cheese is golden brown, 35 – 40 minutes (check crust half-way through and tent with foil if it is getting too dark.) Let pie cool at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before slicing and serving.