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tomato pie with thyme bechamel

Tomato Pie with Thyme Bechamel

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Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 3 hrs
Total Time 3 hrs 45 mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Vegetarian
Servings 8 mini pies

Equipment

  • Mini-Pie Maker, optional
  • Mini or Regular Pie Pans

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 2 sticks salted butter, very cold
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup cold water, approximately

Thyme Bechamel

  • ¼ cup salted butter
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2-3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup parmesan, grated

Tomato Filling

  • 15 medium roma tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 5 cloves garlic, halved
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Crust

  • Slice the chilled butter into cubes.
  • In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and half of the butter. Pulse 4-5 times until loosely combined, then add the rest of the butter and pulse an additional 5-6 times until just starting to look sandy.
  • Drizzle half of the cold water over the flour mixture, and pulse to combine. Add a little more water at a time just until the dough sticks together when pressed.
  • Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, then flatten into a disk and refrigerate, at least 30 min.

Thyme Bechamel

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until combined.
  • Cook the flour and butter mixture, stirring constantly, until bubbling and beginning to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
  • Whisk the milk and thyme into the flour and butter. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce becomes very thick, about 7 minutes. Whisk in the salt, nutmeg and parmesan.

Tomato Filling

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  • Roughly chop the roma and cherry/grape tomatoes.
  • On a large sheet pan, mix the chopped tomatoes with the garlic and olive oil, and lightly season with kosher salt and black pepper.
  • Roast the tomatoes for 1 hour at 375°F, then lower the oven to 275°F and roast 1 additional hour, until caramelized.

Tomato Pie with Thyme Bechamel

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F or turn on your mini-pie maker.
  • Roll out the pie crust to ⅙th of an inch in thickness. If making mini-pies, cut out circles of crust that fit the size of your pans or mini-pie maker.
    If making full size pies, cut out the crust into circles about 11 inches in diameter.
    Press the crust into the pie pans, or pie-maker. Prick all over with a fork to prevent bubbling.
  • If using an oven:
    Pre-bake your crust for 12 minutes, until just beginning to brown.
    Then, add a generous layer of the thyme bechamel to the bottom of the crust.
    Top the bechamel with a layer of roasted tomatoes.
    Bake the pies (30 minutes for a full size pie, 15 minutes for mini pies).
  • If using a mini-pie maker:
    Press the crust into the molds of the mini-pie maker.
    Then, add a generous layer of the thyme bechamel to the bottom of the crust.
    Top the bechamel with a layer of roasted tomatoes.
    Close the lid of the pie maker and cook for 5 minutes, until the edges of the crust begin to brown. Continue cooking the pies with the lid open, an additional 5-8 minutes, until the crust is golden brown on the bottom.
Keyword Tomato Pie with Thyme Bechamel