Active Time

　　40 minutes

　　Total Time

　　2 hours

　　This recipe was inspired by Laurie Colwin's tomato pie — which ran in the August 1992 issue of gourmet; James Beard has a similar recipe that we also love in American Cookery. Paired with a green salad, it's a great warm-weather lunch. The very thin biscuit crust sets it apart from the usual (pastry-crust) pies.

　　Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr (includes cooling)

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 light-lunch or brunch servings

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　1 3/4 teaspoons salt

　　3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted

　　3/4 cup whole milk

　　1/3 cup mayonnaise

　　2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

　　1 3/4 lb beefsteak tomatoes, peeled (see cooks' note for mountain jam ) and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

　　1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely puréed in a food processor

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

　　1/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　7 oz coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups)

　　

Step 1

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then blend in 3/4 stick cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

　　

Step 2

Divide dough in half and roll out 1 piece between sheets of plastic wrap into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into a 9-inch glass pie plate, patting with your fingers to fit (there will be just enough dough to line plate without an overhang). Discard plastic wrap.

　　

Step 3

Preheat oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 4

Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, 1 tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, pepper, and salt, then sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

　　

Step 5

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with 2 teaspoons melted butter.

　　

Step 6

Bake pie in middle of oven until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

　　Cooks' note:

　　·Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.