Old Fashioned Southern Tomato Pie

Ingredients

1 9-inch frozen deep dish pie shell
3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks about 3 to 4 cups
¾ cup good quality mayonnaise I like Duke’s
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Large handful of fresh basil, chopped or thinly sliced (chiffonade) about ¼ cup
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400º.

Follow package directions to bake pie shell; prick bottom all over of slightly thawed shell, bake for 10 to 20 minutes until browned.

Meanwhile, place tomatoes in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let drain, tossing several times. Then with paper towels, press down to blot up even more of the liquid.

In small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and cheeses until combined well.

Turn oven down to 375º .

Place tomatoes in baked pie shell, add sliced or chopped basil and gently mix. Season with salt and pepper. Top with mayonnaise-cheese mixture and spread evenly over the top.

Bake in center of oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool at least 20 to 30 minutes or longer. Slice and serve, warm or at room temperature.