Chuck Hughes’ Tomato Pie with Herb Salad

Name: Chuck Hughes' Tomato Pie with Herb Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 6 sheets phyllo pastry; 1 cup cold butter (cut up and melted); 6 large field tomatoes (divided); 2 tsp kosher salt (divided); 1-1/2 cups White Canadian Cheddar Cheese (freshly shredded); 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese (freshly shredded); 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 large eggs (lightly beaten); 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/2 red onion (sliced paper-thin); 1 tbsp instant tapioca; basil leaves; 2 tbsp fresh dill sprigs; 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves; 1 tbsp snipped fresh chives; 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped); 1 cup baby arugula; 1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar; 2 tbsp olive oil

By Chef Chuck Hughes

This savoury pie recipe from Canadian celebrity chef Chuck Hughes combines fresh tomatoes, basil and sweet onions in a delicate phyllo crust with zesty Cheddar topping. It’s so flavourful and presents so well, but it’s super easy to put together!

Photo: Shutterstock

Prep Time	Cook Time
20minutes	25minutes

Prep Time

20minutes

Cook Time

25minutes

Type of Meal Main Courses
Special Diet Vegetarian

Ingredients

Crust
6 sheets phyllo pastry
1 cup cold butter cut up and melted
Filling
6 large field tomatoes divided
2 tsp kosher salt divided
1-1/2 cups White Canadian Cheddar Cheese freshly shredded
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese freshly shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 red onion sliced paper-thin
1 tbsp instant tapioca
basil leaves
Salad
2 tbsp fresh dill sprigs
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
1 cup baby arugula
1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

Portions:

Units:

Ingredients

Crust
6 sheets phyllo pastry
1 cup cold butter cut up and melted
Filling
6 large field tomatoes divided
2 tsp kosher salt divided
1-1/2 cups White Canadian Cheddar Cheese freshly shredded
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese freshly shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 red onion sliced paper-thin
1 tbsp instant tapioca
basil leaves
Salad
2 tbsp fresh dill sprigs
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
1 cup baby arugula
1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

Portions:

Units:

Type of Meal Main Courses
Special Diet Vegetarian

Instructions

Crust

Melt the butter. Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo and brush with clarified butter. Lay another phyllo sheet on top and repeat until you have 6 layers of buttered phyllo sheets.

Filling

Cut 4 of the 6 tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices and remove seeds. Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Stir together cheddar, gruyere, mayonnaise, eggs, sugar, salt and black pepper in a large bowl until combined.
Pat tomato slices dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle tapioca over the bottom of the crust. Lightly spread 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture onto the crust. Layer with half of the tomato slices in slightly overlapping rows.
Spread paper-thin red onions and basil leaves evenly. Then spread on another 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture.
Repeat layers, using the remaining tomato slices, red onions, basil leaves and cheese mixture. Cut the remaining 2 tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices and arrange on top of the pie.
Bake at 425F (220C) for 30-35 minutes, shielding the edges with foil during the last 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 1-2 hours before serving.

Serve