From the menu of … West Cobb Diner, 3451 Barrett Parkway, Marietta. 770-422-7717; www.westcobbdiner.com
Q: West Cobb Diner is a great "budget Southern gourmet" restaurant with outstanding side orders that are as good as the entrees. Can you get the owners to divulge their recipe for the Tomato Pie? It is "to die for," but likely has a day's worth of calories in itself. Best bang for the buck in Marietta. — Tom Flynn, Marietta
A: Chad Martin, chef/owner of West Cobb Diner, sent us the recipe for his Tomato Pie, one that's based on an old recipe from Charleston, South Carolina. It's a family recipe as well. "My stepfather's family has been making tomato pie for a long, long time," Martin said. His wife Loren Martin recalls that Chad, her then boyfriend, made this tomato pie for her family the first Thanksgiving he spent with them when they were first dating 15 years ago. "My Uncle Bob has never stopped talking about it."
Made with great summer tomatoes and served at room temperature, it would be a rich but very seasonal appetizer or side dish for a summer picnic menu. At the restaurant, the serving is more generous.
West Cobb Diner’s Tomato Pie
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Serves: 12
1 9-inch pie shell
4 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/4 cup crumbled crisp cooked bacon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prebake pie shell for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Arrange sliced tomatoes in prebaked pie shell. Fill pie shell just until tomatoes are 1/2 inch below top of crust. Top with bacon and basil. Season to taste.
In a medium bowl, combine cheddar, mozzarella and mayonnaise. Spread on top of tomatoes. Place pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand one hour before serving.
Per serving: 455 calories (percent of calories from fat, 80), 13 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 42 grams fat (13 grams saturated), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 566 milligrams sodium.
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