Tasty Tuesday--Mini Tomato Pies

Basic Pie Crust

1 stick butter

1 1/2 cups flour

pinch of salt

about 1/4-1/2 cup of milk

1. Place butter, flour, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, and cut butter into flour with a pastry cutter.

2. Add milk a little at a time, and stir until dough just comes together.

3. Gather dough into a flat disk and cover with plastic wrap. Chill dough for about 10 minutes before rolling out into desired shape.

Tomato Pie

2-4 beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, sliced and seeded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, sliced

about 1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 recipe basic pie crust

10 large fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.

2. Place the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow tomatoes to weep for 10 minutes. Discard extra liquid, and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. When the butter is hot, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Sweat the onion until softened about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

4. Combine the mayo and cheeses in a small mixing bowl, adding additional mayo if mixture is too dry.

5. Divide the pie crust into 12 pieces. Press the pieces into the bottom and sides of the prepared muffin tins.

6. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture over the bottom of the pie shells. Top with a few tomato slices, then about 1 tablespoon of the onions. Sprinkle basil on top of the onions, and then top with about 1 more tablespoon cheese mixture. Bake pies in preheated oven until lightly browned and bubbling on top, and crust is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

*You could take the easy route and buy pre-made pie crusts, like I did.