Tomato Pie with a Southern Twist

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the pie crust inside a 9-inch pie plate and press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Fold the crust edges under and crimp them as desired to create a decorative border. Cover the crust with parchment paper, leaving an overhang of 3 inches to make it easier to remove later. Fill the pie crust with pie weights or dried beans to prevent it from bubbling up during baking.Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights carefully to avoid any accidents. Continue baking until the crust is a light golden brown color, taking an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pie crust to a wire rack and let it cool down to room temperature, which should take around 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

While your pie crust is baking, prepare the tomato slices. Slice the tomatoes crosswise into very thin layers, about 1/4 inch thick. Place these tomato slices in a single layer on paper towels to drain any excess moisture. Sprinkle the tomato slices with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and let them sit for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Pat the tomato slices dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and cream cheese until they are fully incorporated and smooth. Fold in 1 ¼ cups of Cheddar cheese, egg, flour, garlic, cayenne, black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt until everything is well combined. Spread half of this Cheddar mixture into the pie crust. Layer it with 1/3 of the tomato slices in slightly overlapping circles. Repeat this process with the remaining Cheddar mixture and another third of the tomato slices. Top the pie with the remaining tomato slices in slightly overlapping circles, followed by a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of Cheddar cheese.

Bake the pie in the preheated oven until the filling is set and lightly browned on top, taking 30 to 35 minutes. To prevent the crust from getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil for a few minutes if necessary. Let the pie stand for at least 30 minutes before serving. Finally, garnish it with thinly sliced basil before presenting it to your guests.