Tomato Pie Bars

Name: Tomato Pie Bars
Total time: 170 min
Ingredients: 1.5 sleeves saltine crackers, coarsely crushed; .75 cup unsalted butter (6 ounces), melted; 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup), divided; 2 large egg yolks, beaten; 10 ounces aged sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 cups); 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce; 1 teaspoon curry powder, divided; .5 teaspoon black pepper, divided; 1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

3.2

(5)

5 Reviews

In his riff on tomato pie, Food Editor Josh Miller uses crushed saltine crackers and Parmesan cheese to give these tomato pie bars a crispy, savory bottom crust and enhances the rich, savory filling with mildly spicy curry powder and chipotle chile. A topping of juicy slices of tomato brings the finished tomato pie bars into perfect balance.

By Josh Miller

Published on July 21, 2021

Tomato Pie Bars — Photo: Photo by Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Kate Buckens / Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 50 mins

Yield:

6 to 8

Ingredients

1 ½ sleeves saltine crackers, coarsely crushed
¾ cup unsalted butter (6 ounces), melted
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup), divided
2 large egg yolks, beaten
10 ounces aged sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse crackers in a food processor until crumbly with some pea-size pieces remaining, 6 to 7 pulses, to yield about 3 cups crumbs. Stir together cracker crumbs, butter, 3/4 cup Parmesan, and egg yolks in a bowl until combined. Firmly press into bottom of a 9-inch square pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool 1 hour.
Stir together cheddar, mayonnaise, chipotle, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl.
Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices; place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Let stand 15 minutes.
Spread cheese mixture in an even layer on crust; top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake at 350°F until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 40 minutes. Garnish with basil.