Tomato & Corn Pie

I'm still here... barely! I'm back to a 40 hour work week, and while that really isn't too big a deal (everyone else does it!), I find it's taking me some time to adjust. And right when I get used to my current job, I'll be switching jobs again! But it's a good switch, because starting in October I'll be teaching high school math. That's what I spent the last crazy year working towards, and the long term sub job I'll be doing is a great first step towards getting back into my own classroom. I can't wait to get started, although that means my blog posts will probably continue to be sporatic for a while longer. I'm still cooking, because eating is a necessary part of the day and I can't just force myself to eat pre-made junk. But finding time to cook creating new things, and then finding time to blog about them is a little more that I can handle most days. Weekends are an exception, though, which is why I had the time to make this lovely corn and tomato tart last night.


I'm lucky to be part of a wonderful book club, full of interesting, intelligent 20-something women here in Chicago. We meet once a month to catch up, using a book as the excuse to get together, and I really look forward to those meetings. Now that I'm not working evenings any more, I'm going to be a much more regular participant in these gatherings. Last night we got together for purely social reasons, inviting significant others and friends to join in an end of summer cookout. It was a wonderful night of catching up with friends and enjoying the cooler weather of September... I would be happy to live in this type of weather for most of the year!

When I was choosing a dish to share at the cookout, I first thought of a couple of my usual standbys. My potato salad always gets rave reviews, and this broccoli salad was a major hit last time I made it. But I had the whole day to prepare a dish, and I have piles of cookbooks and cooking magazines thave have been sorely neglected recently. I remembered this Tomato & Corn Pie from a recent issue of Eating Well magazine, and thought this was the perfect chance to test it out. The olive oil crust was simple to make, and I was able to use fresh corn and tomatoes given the time of year. This dish was an absolute hit at the party, for the meat eaters and the vegetarians in the crowd. It was a perfect showcase for this end of summer produce, and was so pretty to look at, too!

Tomato & Corn Pie

from Eating Well magazine, July/August 2010

CRUST

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons cold water

FILLING

3 large eggs

1 cup low-fat milk

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear; see Tip) or frozen

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

To prepare crust: Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add oil and water and gradually stir them in to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, preferably deep-dish, and press into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any overhanging crust. Line the dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper large enough to lift out easily; fill evenly with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil or paper and weights. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

To prepare filling: Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Sprinkle half the cheese over the crust, then layer half the tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle with corn, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Layer the remaining tomatoes on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour the egg mixture over the top.

Bake the pie until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

TIPS & NOTES

Ingredient note: Look for whole-wheat pastry flour in large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store it in the freezer.

To remove corn kernels from the cob, stand an ear of corn on one end and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife.