Why is it the “When I die…Tomato Pie?” I made this for a dear friend from seminary. It had been years since he had indulged in this traditional southern delight, but the memories of this dish tickled his taste buds. In fact his mouth seemed to water when I mentioned making tomato pie. And even the thought of it seemed to bring him to tears.

Once I gathered the ripe heirlooms and layered them with a blend of fresh herbs and cheeses, I baked him a memory pie. A tomato pie that was to be his delightful indulgence. And as he slowly enjoyed he bite, he raved about the flavors. Even more, he seemed stirred by memories of his childhood. His mother cooking for he and his brother in their younger years. Tomato pie was the very memory of home for him. His taste buds savored that very sincere memory in each bite.

The next day my friend wrote me a card to thank me for this treat. He went on and on about how good it tasted to him and how long it had been since he remembered eating something so wonderful. In the last lines of his comments, he had written, “Upon my death, my life would only be truly celebrated right with the presence of this tomato pie, of which I am so fond.” As time passed, I always think of my friend when I make this dish. And in honor of John, it has lovingly become the “When I die…Tomato Pie.”

This recipe is from my mother-in-law’s kitchen – – This is the infamous pie that my husband, Mitch, ALMOST turned into an Onion Pie when he first started cooking as a bachelor!! His grandmother learned to never tell a 20-year old guy to go buy 8 “things of onions” (meaning 8 individual green onions), because he will interpret that literally and purchase 8 bags of onions. He won’t even question his decision when the cashier asks why he needs so many. Thankfully years and experience have given way to wisdom and the recipe has survived beyond this one terrible onion crime.

This savory pie is good with many types of tomatoes, but the fresh summer heirloom tomatoes just taste best. And don’t be decieved by thier appearance…the uglier the better! I love the rainbow of reds, yellows and deep purples wrinkled in the garden and touched with sweetness by the sun. Bring them home, rinse them well, and slice them into this savory summer pie.

Preheat the oven to 450*. Be sure the tomatoes are ripe. Slice them and place them in a colander in one layer, sprinkled with salt, and let them drain for about 10 minutes.

Place the BYLM perfect pie crust in a deep pie dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lightly buttered to prevent sticking. Prebake the crust for 9 minutes at 450*. Once the crust is done, remove and reset the oven temperature to 350*.

Once the crust has had a few minutes to cool, Layer the tomato slices, basil, oregano and green onion in it. Season with salt and pepper.

In a seperate bowl, combine grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread the mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cut into 8 slices once the pie has cooled and serve warm.