Tag: best savory pie

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

This Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart is colorful, scrumptious and extraordinarily simple to make.

Aromatic crushed fennel seeds in the crust deliver a delicious dimension you smell and taste with every bite. As a result, the tart’s flavor is distinct and unforgettable.

Fontina, an Italian cheese known for its smooth texture, gives the tart a richness that pairs perfectly with fresh tomatoes. The onions, olives and fresh thyme sprigs  add to the tart’s gourmet taste and vibrant appearance.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

This Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart is hearty but not heavy, which makes it perfect for brunch or dinner. It also reheats well. Add it to your meal-planning today. You are going to love it!

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

Recipe credit goes to Anne Crouss who won at the Big E Fair (2013), first place in a contest General Mills’ baking division sponsored for family-favorite meals. We simply made it with a thicker crust. We’ve made the crust both with Bisquick, and a flour version (Fennel Seed Pie Crust). Both are delicious!

Baking Tips

  • Follow the step by step images below to take a tour through this blue ribbon winning recipe.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

  • Don’t skip placing the tomato slices on paper towels stage as it dries them out just enough to prevent too much juice draining into the pie and making the crust soggy.
  • Can’t find Fontina? Go with a Gouda, Gruyere, or provolone as substitutes. They have comparable texture and richness.
  • If you prefer thinner crusts, use an oversize 12-inch pie pan (which is how Anne, the recipe creator, made it originally).
  • Want to use Bisquick for the crust? Use 1 1/2 cups of the mix and 6 tablespoons butter instead of the flour and butter amounts listed.

If you love savory pies, be sure to also try this Savory Butternut Squash Pie or these Spicy Chicken Hand Pies.

Step by Step Images

First, prepare your crust. Use the Bisquick version the winner did (in recipe below), or if you prefer flour instead, use the Fennel Seed Pie Crust recipe we tested and approved.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

Second – once the crust is parbaked and cooled…begin the layering. Start with the Italian Fontina Cheese.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

Third, load up most of the tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

Next, combine the chopped olives, onion, fresh thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add them on top of the tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

After adding the olive/onion mixture, as the last step, add the remaining tomatoes. Now it is ready to go into the oven.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

Finally, bake, then let it cool a bit before adding fresh thyme sprigs, slicing. and serving.

Fresh Tomato & Fontina Cheese Tart

Enjoy!

-Cyndi

 

Savory Butternut Squash Carrot Pie

This Butternut Squash Carrot Pie is a savory dish you can savor all winter long. It is comfort food at its finest. It’s also vegetarian. The squash and carrot filling is flavored by cumin, butter, salt, and pepper. Its topped with caramelized onions and fresh sage.

At the 2013 Minnesota State Fair, this recipe stood out to us…from Susan Gran, winner for “best savory pie” (Pillsbury contest). Try it out. We did. And wow!

Here’s what it looks like before you put it in the oven.

You can even do individual portions in cupcake tins. Just bake it for less time of course.

Mini Squash & Carrot Pies

 

And here I walk you through some of the main steps. I made the filling a day ahead and doubled the batch. I had a good feeling about this one.

bowl of squash

First I chopped up the squash and carrots and got them roasting.

bowl of carrots

I used butternut squash but acorn or even pumpkin would work well too, depending on your tastes.roasted squash and carrots

You toss the squash and carrots with olive oil, salt, pepper and one of my favorite spices, cumin. (I also added cayenne, because heat is a close friend of mine.) You can make the caramelized onions ahead of time too.

Delish Dinner Party Main Dish

Once the squash and carrots were roasted, I pureed the filling with the other key ingredients. If you don’t have a food processor, try a stick blender instead. At this point I put it in my fridge for my dinner party the next day.

When party time came I rolled out my pre-made pie crust and made a full-size pie. Depending on the size of your squash and carrots, you may have extra filling. You can also do cut-outs for mini pies. We did and it worked like a charm.

This butternut squash carrot pie is a colorful recipe, with the vibrant squash contrasting with the fresh sage on top.

Butternut Squash Pie close-up

There were no leftovers, but the minis would have made terrific to-go lunches. Guess I will have to make them again! And soon. You should give them a try too.

Watch for more savory dishes in the coming months. You can search our site for your favorite ingredients or filter recipes by category here.

Bake it great!

-Cyndi