Tomato Basil and Mozzarella Pie

finished tomato basil and mozzarella pieclose up view of tomato basil and mozzarella pie

We eat too much meat. I always say we will cut back but we are backsliders. I seem to have to do most of the cooking and I am more used to planning a meal around a protein so it’s just easier for me to grab beef, chicken or lamb or bacon and get going.

Well now that it is getting close to spring more vegetables are coming into the market that don’t look like they were exhumed last year which makes the idea of planning meals around vegetables more appealing somehow. And it was looking at the much improved fresh vegetable display in my local market that gave me the idea for a Tomato Basil and Mozzarella Pie. No meat. Not even Bacon!! Dear dear bacon.

Preparations & Ingredients
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
1 pie shell either home made or store bought
2 large, firm tomatoes
1 ball of mozzarella
1 bunch of basil
3table spoons of tomato sauce
1 drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle of dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pie shell and brush it around the edges,too.

Slice the tomatoes and then slice them again in half and arrange one layer of tomatoes in a circular pattern in the shell. Add salt and pepper and oregano and a tablespoon of sauce.

Slice the cheese thinly and place on top of tomatoes. Wash and dry the basil and arrange leaves on top of cheese. Add one or 2 spoons of sauce. Repeat all of this one more time (except the spices unless you like a lot of oregano).

Try not to use too much sauce because the bottom of the pie crust will get soggy. Also mozzarella can be a “wet” cheese.
If soggy crusts disgust you you can consider cutting out the bottom of the pie shell and just using the sides.And if you want to skip the crust altogether it’s a free country.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the top of the pie is browned. Tastes as good as it looks since it’s basically pizza, after all.