Savory Tomato and Pesto Pie

This recipe caught my attention with this line "....this may look like a pie, ...., but it is really not a pie. So those of you who are afraid of pies can keep on reading." Maybe you haven't noticed but I have been dodging recipes that call for pie crust. What I like about this recipe is it has the consistency of biscuit dough but is not made from biscuits.

This dough is easy to work with and the pie is quick and easy to make. In fact, it gives me (a delusional) confidence to making pizza crust. What I'm saying is, this is by no means difficult culinary endeavor - you can make this pie. Yes, you. And it will most likely make whomever you feed it to immediately smile with delight and love you even more than they already do. As it did for me :)

Ingredients:

For the pesto

Go here for a traditional Italian basil pesto. You may also use arugula or spinach instead of basil. In my case, I put together what greens I managed to dig out from the fridge: basil, parsley and broccoli. It's true you can pesto many of the greens.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups (you'll need 1 cup)

1/2 cup roasted whole almonds
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 cups of mixed chopped basil, parsley and broccoli
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
3 small tomatoes, quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Process the almonds and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the mixed greens, pecorino romano, tomatoes, and salt and process until thoroughly combined.
2. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil through the chute. Add more salt to taste if necessary and more olive oil if desired. This pesto will keep several days in the fridge, or you can freeze it.
   

Heat the oven to 190C.

For The Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup finely grated pecorino romano
3/4 cup milk

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix in the butter using your fingers until the largest pieces are pea-size. Stir in the pecorino romano. Pour in the milk and use a fork to gently form a soft dough. Do not overmix. Divide the dough in two pieces, making one slightly larger than the other.
2. On a generously floured surface, use a rolling pin to gently roll out the larger piece of dough into a circle about 12 inches across, rolling from the center outward. Sprinkle dough with flour if sticky. Gently fold the dough in half and transfer into a 9-inch pie pan. If the dough tears, simply press it back together with your fingers. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a slightly smaller circle and set aside.
   

Assembling The Pie:

1 cup pesto, divided
2 large plum tomatoes, sliced lengthwise into 4 or 5 slices each
8 ounces mozzarella, grated
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano

1. Using a spoon, spread 1/2 cup of pesto over the bottom layer of dough in the pie pan. Layer about half of the tomatoes over the pesto. Cover the tomatoes with about 2/3 of the mozzarella. Layer on the rest of the tomatoes. Carefully spread the remaining 1/2 cup of pesto over the tomatoes. Cover with the remaining mozzarella and the pecorino romano.
2. Roll out the second piece of dough, and carefully place it over the pie. Fold the edge of the bottom piece over the top piece and press together to seal. Use your fingers to make a crimped design around the edge. If any dough falls apart, simply press it back together with your fingers.
3. Cut four slits in the top of the pie for steam to escape. Bake at 190C in the center of the oven until the crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes.
4. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. Crust edges may be sampled much sooner. (As with nearly any fruit pie, if you cut into it while it is still warm, some juice will seep out. If you plan to store any leftover pie right in the pan, simply drain off the juice so the bottom crust doesn't become soggy.) Or cool pie completely, cover, and refrigerate.