These Creole Tomato Pies are a slice of summer

Nothing says summer in Louisiana more than the taste of ripe, juicy Creole tomatoes. To celebrate Creole tomato season, we asked Lafayette, Louisiana, recipe creator Jolie Meaux of Porch Wine & Gravy to come up with a recipe that’s easy, delicious, uses local ingredients and won’t break the bank. The result? Mini Creole Tomato Pies, made with a clever and easy sandwich-bread crust. (Being from Cajun country, Jolie uses Evangeline Maid brand bread, but any white sandwich bread will do).

They’re the perfect bites for everything from family cookouts to fast weeknight suppers. “These pies remind me of my Maw Maw’s cooking,” says Jolie, “and if I’m making her recipes, I’m using her mayo – Blue Plate!” (We heard dat.) Get the recipe for this Southern comfort food below and bring a little Louisiana summer to your table.

CREOLE TOMATO PIES

Ingredients

Tomato Mixture

• 2 medium Creole tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

Pie Filling

• 6 strips cooked bacon, finely chopped
• ½ cup Blue Plate Mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons Creole/Cajun seasoning
• ¼ cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• 3/4 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard

Pie Crust

• 12 slices white sandwich bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• Thinly sliced tomatoes, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Make the tomato mixture: Thickly slice, salt and drain the tomatoes. Blot them with paper towel to remove excess moisture and salt. Finely dice the tomatoes and combine them in a bowl with the basil, red onions, garlic and pepper. Mix well.
2. Make the pie filling: In a separate large bowl, combine the bacon, mayonnaise, sour cream, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Creole/Cajun seasoning, green onion, pimentos, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, parmesan and mustard.
3. Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Using a large biscuit cutter or empty soup can, press the cutter on each bread slice, forming a crustless circle. Using a rolling pin on a clean surface, roll each bread circle until uniformly thin. Lightly butter one side of the bread circle. Gently press the bread circles into a muffin tin, butter side down. Bake for 3-5 minutes, just enough to dry them out but not brown them. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
4. Make the pies: Fill each crust halfway with the tomato mixture. Top with 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons pie filling, to just above the crust (the filling will deflate while cooking). Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Gently run a butter knife around the edges of each mini pie, remove from the pan and serve.