Pie for dinner? Oh yea!

Last night,  I saw was a very large zucchini and 3 Roma tomatoes together in a bag in the discount section of Berkeley Bowl for $1.   Wasn't quite sure what I was going to do but, I figured Parmesan cheese will likely be involved, so grabbed some of that.

On the bus ride home, it struck me. Pie, cornmeal crust pie.  I bought some polenta (cornmeal) last week fully intending to bake polenta cookies, that hasn't happened, yet.

Of course not dessert pie for dinner. Icecream for dinner is one thing
but fruit pie is another :P

Got home, decided to use some of the falafel mix I needed to use up in the crust. Usually cornmeal crust have some flour (wheat, rice, etc.) but I like how this crust turned out. Had a bit of basil, 2 small sweet peppers and a half an onion still in the crisper so added that too. This was quickly turning to a refrigerator pie, ok refrigerator tart.

FYI. A refrigerator pie is actually more of quiche, made with whatever odds and ends of cheese and veggies you have in the house. Not to be confused with Icebox pie, which is sweet and wonderful in another sort of way.

Needed something to bind it. Eggs and milk? Only had almond milk, prolly should finish up that block of silky tofu still in the fridge.

...this was a refrigerator pie. And it was a good one, I think I'm officially hooked on cornmeal crusts. so bummed I didn't have time to wrap up the second for lunch, ah well dinner tonite or lunch tomorrow.

This recipe makes enough for about 2 of my tart dishes (about 5" diametre).


Tomato Zucchini Tart with Cornmeal Crust

Using what I had on hand...
3 Roma tomatoes thinly sliced
3/4 cup zucchini in thinly sliced half moons
1/4 cup onion thinly sliced
1/4 cups sweet peppers thinly sliced
1/3 cup...or so thin sliced Parmesan cheese

Milk mixture
1/2 cup silky tofu (you could use 2 eggs)
3/4 cup almond milk (regular milk would work)
1tbsp fresh chopped basil
clove of garlic minced
pinch of salt

...yep lots of thin slicing, hope you got a good knife!

Crust
3/4 cup polenta (coarse ground cornmeal

Cornmeal Crust

1/2 cup falafel mix
1/2 tsp shichimi togarashi (mixed pepper spice)
1-2 tbsp of olive oil
big pinch of salt.

Directions
Make the crust
Preheat oven to 375
In a bowl combine the polenta, falafel mix, salt,spices.
Mix throughly with a fork
Gradually add olive oil until crumbly like wet sand (or a graham crack crust)
divide between two pie dishes. Press mixture into bottom and sides of the pan
Bake for 8-10 minutes

Meanwhile slice up the vegetables

Whisk together tofu and milk (or egg and milk) add basil, garlic and salt

Build the pies by sprinkling parmasan cheese over the crust
Then a layer of zuchinni
Layer of onions and garlic mixed
Layer of tomatoes
layer of  cheese
Layer of zuchinni (those little tart pans are deeper than they look!)
Divide the milk mixture between the pans
Finish with a layer of tomatoes and cheese


Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Garnish with basil if desired
Enjoy