Herby Ricotta and Tomato Pie

There are so many ways I'm similar to my late BFF/Grandma, Louise. Her name is my middle name, we both love dogs, the Olympics, the musical The Music Man, and share a strong love for fresh summer tomatoes. She used to snack on a pint of cherry tomatoes from the summer farmer's market like it was candy, and I can do the same! So, in memory of my favorite lady, and in honor of our beloved summer treat, I created this recipe for an herby pie that celebrates the flavors of summer! You can use whatever fresh herbs you like the best, these are just the ones I chose from our herb garden. Enjoy!

Crust: I use this recipe from the NY times 9 inch pie crust. You'll also need 1 teaspoon freshly chopped herbs (I used rosemary and thyme), 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs and 2 Tablespoons of grated parmesan for the crust (see recipe)

For the Ricotta Filling:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

For the tomato topping:

1 large heirloom tomato

5 cherry tomatoes

1 green onion (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make the crust. Let it chill for at least 1 hour, then roll it out to fit a 9 inch pie dish, and crimp the edges. Press fresh herbs into the crust. Poke the crust all over the base with a fork. Place back in the fridge until the oven is preheated. Preheat oven to 375F. Then, mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan and sprinkle over the bottom of the pie crust. When the oven is preheated, blind bake the crust (you may do this with parchment covered with pie weights, dry beans or sugar) for 10 minutes.

2. While the crust par-bakes, make the ricotta filling by mixing all of the ingredients together. Slice the tomatoes.

3. When the crust is out of the oven, spread the ricotta mixture on top of the crust, then arrange the tomatoes on top of the ricotta.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Take the pie out of the oven, sprinkle with the green onions, and you may drizzle with olive oil , balsamic glaze and sprinkle with flaky salt to finish.