Mini Southern Tomato Pies are an elegant twist on the down-home and iconic Southern Tomato Pie. In mini form, they make a lovely summer appetizer!
Here’s an elegant riff on the classic Southern tomato pie you’re going to love! Mini Southern Tomato Pies! I’ve not made many pies in my lifetime but I have made tomato pies! It’s just what one does when they live in the South.
How to make Mini Southern Tomato Pies:
- Slice approximately four ripe, juicy plum tomatoes to get 32 slices.
- Salt, then place on paper towels to drain. The salt helps extract much of the water from the tomatoes (which you don’t want in your pie).
- Flip, then salt again and drain. After 30 minutes or so, blot dry with more paper towels.
- While the tomatoes are draining, get the pastry shells ready. Frozen puff pastry makes the perfect crust!
- Just roll it out on a lightly floured surface so you can get eight circles from each piece of puff pastry.
- Cut the circles out with a 3 to 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Or, do what I did–use a stainless steel measuring cup.
- Pop them into a nonstick muffin pan and just push them in enough to get a flat bottom.
- Then, start the filling process!
- Start with the cheese and mayonnaise combination. Mayonnaise is an essential ingredient in Southern tomato pie!
- Top with a tomato, a little more cheese, some basil….
- …And another tomato!
- The tomatoes are going to sit pretty high but trust me on this. The puff pastry is going to do its thing and puff up; the tomatoes will sink in.
- Then, bake.
- After approximately 30 minutes, remove from the oven.
- The tomatoes may shift a little bit, but no worries! Just push them back into place with a knife then top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake 5 more minutes and….
- …Voila! Beautiful, elegant Mini Southern Tomato Pies! Perfect for a backyard get-together or other summer special occasion!
- Serve immediately or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh basil!
Be sure to try my other tomato pie/tart recipes!
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Yield: 16
Mini Southern Tomato Pies
Mini Southern Tomato Pies are an elegant twist on the down-home and iconic Southern Tomato Pie. In mini form, they make a lovely summer appetizer!
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Additional Time
Total Time
55 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 medium plum tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 package (17.3-ounce) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 1 1/4 cups grated Gruyere or white Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice the tomatoes into approximately 8 slices each so you end up with 32 slices. Place the tomatoes on paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Flip onto dry paper towels and salt again. Let stand for another 15 minutes. Dry the top side of the tomatoes with paper towels for any remaining moisture.
- While tomatoes are draining, prepare the pastry. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a 3 to 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter or round stainless measuring cup, cut 8 circles from each sheet of pastry.
- Place the pastry circles into two nonstick muffin pans. (Don't worry about getting them tucked into the pans too securely. Just make sure they have a flat bottom so they stand level.)
- Cover with clean kitchen towels and refrigerate until needed.
- Combine 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese and 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Add mayonnaise and black pepper and stir well.
- Divide cheese and mayonnaise mixture evenly among the 16 pastry shells. Top each with a tomato slice.
- Using only about 1/4 cup of the Gruyere, sprinkle each tomato slice with a small amount of cheese. Top with the chopped basil.
- Place the second tomato half over the cheese and basil. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Combine the remaining 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese and 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese.
- Remove from the oven and adjust the tomato slices as necessary so they're back up on top of each other. Top with remaining cheese and place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 101Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 399mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g
The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Christine McGowan says
I’m sorry, but these were the worst appetizers I have ever made. I followed the recipe exactly, and the puff pastry puffed way up, and all the tomatoes and basil slid off. I notice no one else has posted pictures of these. I am so disappointed.
Carol says
Hi, Christine and so sorry that happened. Perhaps it makes a difference at which level the oven rack is at or perhaps your oven runs hot. (??) They do puff up as stated in the write-up but they settle back down and the cheese should keep the tomatoes from “sliding off.” No one can upload photos to my website for security reasons. Once again, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you. I fully realize how disappointing putting so much effort into something and then not having it work is. Here is a photo and review from Pinterest from someone who made them:
Teresa says
Hi there! I’d like to make these but am wondering about prebaking the puff pastry a bit. I’m worried they will be soggy. Have you tried prebaking to avoid a soggy crust? Or is it different with puff pastry than pie crust?
Carol says
Hi, Teresa, Thanks so much for your question. In certain cases, I DO recommend prebaking the puff pastry as with my Roasted Cherry Tomato Tart with Herbed Ricotta. However, because these are so small, I’m afraid the puff pastry would puff up too much and you’d never get the rest of the filling into the mini pies. Draining the tomatoes as shown will help tremendously and keep in mind there’s a layer of cheese between the pastry and the tomatoes. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Cindy Rosen says
I made these a few weeks ago, and because they were such a hit, I am planning on making these again this weekend. I have to say, however, that I did not follow the recipe exactly. I only put a single layer of tomatoes, and instead of chopping the basil, I topped the cheese on each tomato with a whole basil leaf. They were perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Carol says
Hi, Cindy, Thanks so very much! Glad everyone enjoyed and appreciate the tips. Thanks again!
Kelly says
Have you ever tried to make these ahead of time and freeze? Looking to do so for 3 days before a baby shower.
Carol says
Hi, Kelly and thanks so much for your question. I’ve not done them that far ahead and frozen them. I think they’d be okay refrigerated for that length of time then reheated enough to take the chill off. You wouldn’t want to bake them again too much. Thanks again for your question and I hope they work for you!
Chelsea says
Hi Kelly! Did you ever try to freeze them? If so, hope was your experience? Wanting to do this for a wedding appetizer (cutting down on catering costs)
Mimi says
These are brilliant! Cute and tasty. I’ve made many a variety of tomato tarts and these are just perfect. I tend to forget to have puff pastry in my freezer, but it makes every kind of tart just magical. Thank you for this idea.
Carol says
Thanks, Mimi! I always have puff pastry in the freezer. It’s good for so many things!