Trifecta Tomato Pie

This should have made it into the last post about the REDCOATS, as the coming of summer tomatoes is as Momentous as cherries, perhaps even more so to me as I do not have to pick them, yet -- mine are still green on the vine. But I go to the farmer's market and buy them from the far more advanced growers who have them in glass houses. In this case, I did not even do that. A friend of mine got up and got the early tomatoes (which you have to do this time of year, as tomatoes are not so plentiful as in August, when the farmers give away flats for sauce rather than trucking them home, but that is getting way ahead of myself).

Back to the pie. This recipe is not gluten-free, though I am going to work on a crust that looks this beautiful and is gluten-free. I ate it anyway, out of the crust, and didn't miss it the crust at all.

This recipe, a thing of beauty, hits the trifecta. First, the obvious:

Second, it is easy. If you do not have home-made pesto call me, as I still have jars of it in the freezer from last summer, which I want to consume before this year's batch so I can reuse the jars. Or, buy the Buitoni brand at the Safeway, which is what my friend did and it was gorgeous.

Third: it is quick. I turned away to listen to the chef's husband tell a funny story about getting old, (even though he is not very old, he is very funny), turned around and she was done.  That is one good party trick they've got going on.

Trifecta Tomato Pie

One pie crust
three or four ripe tomatos
2 balls fresh mozzerella
1 cup pesto
olive oil to drizzle

Put the crust in a 8 inch cake pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides with your fingers. It does not need to be even, in fact, it is lovely if it is not. Bake at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Let it cool and then take it out of the pan and set on a tray.

Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella into 1/2 inch slices. Layer into the shell, brushing with pesto each layer. Spoon pesto on top and drizzle with olive oil. Serve.

Enjoy!