Tomatoes for Dessert? Green Tomato Pie

A sweet tomato pie? Yes, there is such a thing, and it is absolutely delicious! It specifies green tomatoes, but I have made it with ripe tomatoes too, and it's just as good. I included the recipe for pastry too, but if you want to save time, just get the ready made dough and roll it out. No one will ever know!


Pastry
2 2/3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
7 to 8 tablespoons cold water


Filling
1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups green tomato slices, cut into fourths
1 ¼ teaspoons grated lemon peel
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

1. In medium bowl, mix 2 2/3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

2. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3. Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

4. In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt. Add tomatoes, lemon peel and lemon juice; toss to coat. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over tomatoes. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.

5. Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.

6. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm.