I’ve whipped up a showstopping Tomato Zucchini Pie bursting with fresh flavor and seasonal summer goodness!
Tender zucchini round slices and fresh heirloom tomatoes are nestled in a creamy ricotta cheese filling, all enveloped in a buttery, golden puff pastry crust.
Each bite is a symphony of textures and tastes, with a delightful balance of sweet and savory. It’s a visual vegetarian masterpiece that will have everyone at the table raving!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Tomato Zucchini Pie
- Fresh, Seasonal Flavor: This is a great recipe that is bursting with the vibrant flavors of summer! Juicy tomatoes and tender zucchini come together in perfect harmony in this easy zucchini pie.
- Creamy Cheese Trio: A luxurious mix of ricotta, Parmesan, and Gruyere cheese creates a decadent and flavorful filling.
- Buttery, Golden Crust: The flaky puff pastry crust adds a delightful textural contrast to the soft filling.
- Vegetarian Delight: This veggie-packed pie is perfect for vegetarians or anyone looking for a lighter main course.
- Easy & Quick: Ready in under an hour, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or weekend brunches.
Ingredients
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
Ricotta Mix:
Ricotta Cheese: For an extra creamy filling, use whole-milk ricotta. If you prefer a lower-fat option, part-skim ricotta can be substituted. Be sure to drain any excess moisture from the ricotta using a paper towel to prevent a soggy pie.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated cheese adds the best flavor, but pre-shredded Parmesan can be used in a pinch.
Dried Oregano: Fresh thyme leaves can be substituted for oregano for a slightly different flavor profile.
Pie:
Puff Pastry: This recipe uses a store-bought puff pastry sheet for convenience. If preferred, you can substitute a prepared pie crust.
Gruyere Cheese: Gruyere cheese can be a bit pricey. A good substitute is shredded Swiss cheese or Monterey Jack cheese.
Heirloom Tomatoes: This recipe can be used with any type of tomato. Roma tomatoes will have less moisture than heirloom tomatoes, so you may not need to dry them as much.
Zucchini: Salting and draining the zucchini removes excess moisture and prevents the pie from becoming soggy. You could use sliced summer yellow squash if you don’t have zucchini.
Fresh Basil: Fresh basil adds a lovely touch, but it can be omitted if you don’t have any on hand. Chopped green onions could be used instead.
How To Make Tomato Zucchini Pie
Prepare The Crust
Place the puff pastry sheet, or prepared pie crust, in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Trim any extra dough and crimp the edges. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, if necessary to fit the pie plate.
Fill a piece of tin foil or parchment paper with beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool for 5 minutes.
Chop / Slice The Vegetables
Slice the tomatoes and zucchini.
Place the zucchini on a paper towel and sprinkle it with salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then pat dry. Do the same with the tomatoes.
Make The Ricotta Filling
Start with drained ricotta cheese.
Combine all the ricotta ingredients and stir well.
Spread the ricotta egg mixture over the bottom of the crust.
Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the ricotta.
Layer The Vegetables
Layer the tomato slices and then zucchini slices, alternating each, on top of the ricotta filling, in a circle around the edge of the pie pan, moving toward the center.
Add half slices of zucchini and tomatoes in the middle with the cut side in the center.
Sprinkle the top of the pie with fresh parmesan.
Bake The Pie
Bake for 50 minutes or until the pie has set up and is no longer jiggly.
Recipe Tips
Puff Pastry Doesn’t Fit Pan: If your Pie Pan is too large, roll your puff pastry out so it fits the pan.
Prevent Pie from Being Too Wet: Drain your ricotta in a paper towel to keep the pie from becoming too wet. Lay the zucchini over a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then pat dry. This will also prevent the pie from being too wet.
Why is my tomato pie runny? The tomatoes may be super juicy. You may wish to lay them out on a paper towel and pat dry a little. You can also sprinkle the pie crust with some cornmeal before adding the ricotta mix. This will soak up more of the moisture.
Prevent Edges of Pie from Burning: To prevent the edges of the pie from cooking faster than the rest of the pie, cover the edges with strips of foil, and then remove the foil in the last 15 minutes of baking so the crust can bake until it is a golden brown color.
Freshest Vegetables: Use the freshest vegetables you can find. For tomatoes and zucchini, consider visiting your local farmer’s market instead of the grocery store.
Variation
- For a scrumptious, cheesy addition, add fresh mozzarella round slices between the tomatoes and zucchini on top of the pie.
- Add minced garlic cloves instead of onion powder to the ricotta cheese mixture.
FAQs
This dish is best eaten shortly after baking. I do not recommend making it ahead of time, as it could get too soggy.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Yes, place the pie in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment
- Pie Dish or oven-safe large skillet
- Medium Bowl
- Large spoon
- Rolling Pin
More Vegetable Recipes
If you made this recipe and loved it, please leave a comment and a 5-star review, letting others know how much you liked it.
Recipe
Tomato Zucchini Pie
Ingredients
Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese , drained
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Tomato Zucchini Pie
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry (or 1 prepared pie crust)
- 1 batch Ricotta mix above
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes in various colors sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 large zucchini sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon shredded parmesan
- 1-2 tablespoon shredded fresh basil optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Place the puff pastry sheet in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Trim any extra dough and crimp the edges.
- Use a piece of tin foil or parchment paper and fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool for 5 minutes.
- Slice the tomatoes and zucchini.
- Place the zucchini on a paper towel and sprinkle it with salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then pat dry.
- Place the tomatoes on a paper towel, and pat dry, to soak up some of the moisture
- Combine all the ricotta ingredients together and stir well.
- Spread ricotta mix over the bottom of the crust.
- Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the ricotta.
- Layer the tomato and zucchini slices in a circle around the pie pan. And finish in the middle.
- Sprinkle with fresh parmesan.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until the pie has set up and is no longer jiggly.
Notes
You may need to roll your puff pastry out a little if your pie pan is too large.
You may wish to drain your ricotta in a paper towel to keep the pie from becoming too wet.
Lay the zucchini over a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then pat dry. This will also prevent the pie from being too wet. Why is my tomato pie runny?
The tomatoes may be super juicy. You may wish to lay them out on a paper towel and pat dry a little. You can also sprinkle the pie crust with a little cornmeal before adding the ricotta mix. This will soak up more of the moisture. Storage:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
May be frozen for up to 3 months.
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