Southern Tomato Pie with Sourdough Pie Crust

To a bowl, mix together 1 cup (150 grams) of flour with the salt and sugar.

Cut the unsalted butter into small chunks (about 16 pieces per stick of butter) and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until all of the butter is moistened by the flour and forms into a thick paste (see pictures in the recipe post).

Add the remaining 1 1/4 cup (175 grams) of flour and use the pastry cutter to distribute the flour until the mixture looks crumbly.

Add the chilled sourdough discard on top of the flour/butter mixture and stir to combine. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball. If the dough is too crumbly, add ice cold water a Tablespoon at time until it comes together.

Cut the ball in half and form two balls of dough. Wrap the balls in plastic wrap, press down on them to form a disc shape and stick in the refrigerator to chill. Chill the dough for 20 minutes if using right away or for up to 3 days if using later. You will only be using 1 pie crust for this recipe. Save the other crust to use for a sweet or savory pie in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator before using).

While the pie crust chills, prepare the tomatoes and pie filling: Wash and dry the large tomatoes. Slice thinly and spread tomatoes on a paper towel or in a colander. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and let tomatoes sit for about 20 minutes to drain.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Chop fresh basil into small pieces and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

Mix together the Creamy Tomato Pie Topping: 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt, 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped chives (or green onion), salt, garlic powder, ground pepper and oregano.

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator. Roll out on a floured surface and transfer into a 9 inch pie plate. Crimp the edges and prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Pre-bake the pie crust for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

While the crust is pre-baking, pat the tomatoes with paper towel and soak up all the excess juices from the tomatoes. The more you drain the tomatoes, the less "juicy" and soggy the pie will be.

After 10 minutes, remove the pie pan from the oven and spread the reserved cheddar/mozzarella cheese over the bottom of the pan. Next, layer the tomatoes around the pie, sprinkling with fresh basil as you go. Overlap the tomatoes until you've used all of the tomato slices.

Spread the creamy topping on top of the tomatoes, covering the entire pie. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Allow the pie to cool before cutting and serving. If the tomatoes are especially juicy when you cut into the pie, soak up some of the juice with a paper towel so it doesn't get the crust soggy. Enjoy a slice of summer on a plate!