Smoky Mountain School of Cooking – Recipes Included

I recently returned from my beloved Smoky Mountains and wanted to share one of the highlights of my trip. I discovered the Smoky Mountain School of Cooking last year and loved everything about the class – the instructor, recipes, learning new techniques and then enjoying the delicious meal we prepared. When I booked my Airbnb for this trip, I looked at the classes for that week and signed up for Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Almonds, Blackberry Dumplings and Savory Tomato Pie.

To say the food was delicious is an understatement – but the Savory Tomato Pie was so outstanding I dreamt about it. Several days later as I was leaving Tennessee, I stopped at the Lodge Cast Iron store and bought a nine inch cast iron pie pan. The day after I got home, I shopped for ingredients and made it that afternoon! It is my new favorite meal and one I’ll be making for myself and others. And as a bonus it’s easy to make!

I’m sharing the recipe with a slight modification as in our class this made two small cast iron skillets – I’m using my new 9 inch cast iron pie plate and had to adjust the cooking time a bit.

Savory Tomato Pie – serves 4

1 unbaked pie crust (see recipe below)
1-3 fresh garden tomatoes – sliced thin
1 t salt
1/2 c chopped green onion
2 T fresh chopped basil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 c grated mozzarella
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 c grated sharp cheddar
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Slice the tomatoes and lay on the paper towels in a single layer then sprinkle with salt to draw out the tomato juices. Let sit for 10-15 minutes then use fresh paper towels to pat dry. Quarter each slice then set aside.
Roll out the pie crust and line the pie plate. Crimp the edges and poke holes in the bottom of the crust using the tines of a fork.
Combine basil, green onions and garlic – stir and set aside.
In a separate bowl combine the cheeses, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
Now assemble your pie in layers as follows: half the tomatoes, half the cheese then half the basil/onion/garlic mixture. Layer the remaining tomatoes, then the basil mixture. Last spread the rest of the cheese over the top.
Place in the oven on the bottom rack for 35-40 minutes and then check for doneness – the edges of the crust should be lightly browned. Using my new 9 inch cast iron pan, I found I needed to bake it about 10-15 minutes more.
Let it rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm. This reheats perfectly and is great for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Homemade Pie Crust for one 9 inch pie crust

1 1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
3 T butter (while cold cut into small cubes)
1/3 c shortening (refrigerate – it needs to be cold)
1/4 c ice water

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.
Add ice to 1/2 c cold water, let it sit
Add butter and shortening to the flour mixture and cut the ingredients together with a pastry cutter until it resembles pea size lumps of course flour.
Measure out 1/4 c of ice water.
Drizzle in 1 T of water at a time, stirring after each addition.Continue this until the dough has formed one large clump that holds together. Don’t add too much water as it will be too wet and require more flour and the dough will become tough to work.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and using floured hands, incorporate the mixture to make sure the butter and shortening are incorporated. Don’t overwork.
Shape into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Once chilled, unwrap and place on a floured surface. Roll out the dough until you have a 12 inch circle. Place into the pan, crimp the edges, cutting off any excess.
The crust is now ready to use for your pie recipe!