Mr Cutlack’s Tomato Pie
from Mrs Harvey’s Sister-in-Law and other tasty dishes, Margaret Dunn, Murdoch Books Australia, 2008.
Last time I looked at this book I was excited to find a recipe for cheese biscuits that seemed to be the same as the one my grandmother used to make. And when I tried it out it tasted just right.
Turning over the pages I located this tomato pie, credited here to Mr Cutlack. It also sounded just like something that my grandmother made. The book says that it is actually made in America at Christmas time when tomatoes are scarce and expensive. It thus becomes a special dish for the occasion.
When I was leaving work I mentioned that I was going home to make tomato pie. I described it my workmate who expressed delight that it was one of her favourite dishes.
I just love the way this particular recipe book seems to be a stimulus for raising memories. So I made my tomato pie with great anticipation.
It turned out to be just like Gran’s but perhaps my memories had overburdened the anticipation. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t quite come up to what I had expected. When I cook it again I might be in a better mind set to appreciate it without the heightened expectation.
The recipe doesn’t stipulate what onions to use so I used the common brown onion. I think that next time I might used white onions. The brown onion tended to be a little too strong.
When tomatoes are more plentiful and less expensive I’ll give it another go.
Taste: ✔✔✔✔
Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔
Not an American Christmas tradition, but a tradition for the Australian author. She made it when she lived in the US, and said that being winter there it was an expensive tradition(of hers). That said, I've seen much the same recipe in some older US cookbooks I own, but called Scalloped Tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI've made it with brown onions and didn't find them too assertive, but I think it depends on how good your tomatoes are. The versions with garlic etc I think lose the essence of this lovely summer dish.
Cheers,
Polly