Tomato Corn Pie for Two
Yield: 2 servings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
1 1/2 pounds heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes (about 2 large tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups corn (from 2 ears), coarsely chopped by hand, divided
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon reserved tomato juice, optional
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil, divided
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
sea salt, to taste
6 ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.
Divide dough in half, then divide each half into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other (for a total of four pieces). Roll out the first larger piece of dough into a 10-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick, on a well-floured surface. Gently lift round and place into the first serving dish, patting with your fingers to fit.
Repeat with the second larger piece of dough for the second serving dish.
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, core, then quarter with a sharp knife. Place a strainer over a bowl, and gently squeeze tomato quarters to extract seeds and most of the juice. Cut strained tomato quarters into 1/4 inch strips. Reserve 1 tablespoon of tomato juice, if desired
Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice and tomato juice, if using.
Arrange half of tomatoes in one crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, 1/2 Tbsp basil, 1/2 Tbsp chives, about 1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste), and 1/8 tsp pepper.
Repeat with the second serving dish, then sprinkle both dishes with about 3/4 cup cheese.
Pour lemon mayonnaise over both fillings, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Roll out one of the remaining pieces of dough into a 9-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Repeat for the second dish.
Cut 4 steam vents in the top of each crust and brush crusts with the melted butter.
Bake pies until crust is golden, 25 to 30 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.