Every spring when we set out our tomato plants we also plant lots of basil to go with them because what we have in mind is tomato pie. The other thing we plant in the spring is sweet banana peppers because you cannot have tomato pie without them. Did I mention how much we love tomato pie?  We have so many memories that are attached to this pie that it’s like taking a walk down memory lane when we eat it. (smile)

When the day finally arrives that the slicing tomatoes begin to ripen, it’s time to get the bacon and pepper jack cheese in the house because it won’t be long now. The basil and banana peppers are already going gangbusters by this time too. See how all these things come together? It’s as if heaven is smiling down on this pie.

I’ll share with you my recipe but you will need to realize it’s more of an ingredient list with approx. amounts because I have never measured anything before. It won’t matter anyway, you can customize it however you like.

Ingredients

1 Prebaked Pie crust

2 cups Tomatoes, chopped

4 Sweet Banana Peppers, seeded and sliced

¼ cup Fresh Basil, chopped

½ to ¾ Lb. Cooked Bacon, chopped

2 Cups, Pepper Jack cheese, shredded.

The first thing I do is make the pie crust and that’s because it has to rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before rolling it out. Once it’s properly chilled, I roll it out to fit the 9” pie pan then fit it into the pie pan and crimp the edges; I then put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. (Or you can buy a frozen pie crust)

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350⁰. When the pie crust has finished chilling, press a piece of aluminum foil into the bottom of it; making sure to take care not to break off the edges. Fill with dried beans or baking blinds and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and return to the oven for approx. 10 more minutes or until light golden brown.

Place a small amount of shredded cheese in the bottom of the crust. Toss together the drained tomatoes, basil, and the banana peppers and add to the crust. Add the bacon next, topping everything with the rest of the cheese.

Bake on a baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes to allow everything to heat up and the cheese to melt.

Serve hot

Sometimes, I make individual pies like these below. That’s what will be happening today!

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