Any time of the year is time for Tomato Pie.

It’s such a fun and delicious snack or meal. Usually enjoyed at room temperature or even cold, tomato pie is easy to make and a great party app if sliced into smaller portions.

Light crust, rich sweet sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and you have a fantastic dish. You can make tomato pie as thin or thick as you wish.

This recipe is a guide and make it your own, using the pan size you want as you learn to make and love to bake this recipe.

Tomato Pie

Makes 1 9x13 pan of tomato pie

Ingredients for the Sauce

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

A pinch of sugar

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, finely grated for pie topping

Dry oregano, to taste, as a pie topping

In a large saucepan, add your oil to the pan and over medium high heat saute the garlic until softened but not dark. Add in the crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt/pepper to taste and allow them to cook for about 15 minutes.

You can use an emulsion blender if you wish to have smoother sauce. Set aside.

Tomato Pie Dough

2½ cups of “00 Flour” or all-purpose flour (whatever you have in your pantry)

1 cup of water at room temperature

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of dry yeast (I use SAF)

1 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of sugar

Add in all of the ingredients to the bowl of your stand-up mixer except for the salt. With the dough hook attachment. knead the dough on low speed for 2-3 minutes. Stop the machine. Cover the dough there. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Knead the dough again for about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle some flour onto a clean work surface. Form the dough into a ball and set into a parchment-lined oiled regular-sized cookie baking tray. Allow to rest overnight in the refrigerator, covered with a greased piece of plastic wrap not too tightly on. Cover well.

The next day, place the dough out for an hour before making your tomato pie to allow the dough to get closer to room temperature. Gently work the dough gently into the form of your pan. Cover with your homemade sauce generously.

Bake the tomato pie at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. When the pie is done and right out of the oven sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese and dry oregano to taste. Allow to cool and set up a bit.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (www.escoffier.edu). She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef and pastry chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.