We asked some of our neighbors for their favorite Southern recipes.
Katie Coleman’s Southern Tomato Pie
Layers of local, sliced tomatoes and thinly sliced Vidalia onions are topped with a combination of mayonnaise and cheddar cheese and baked in a super buttery piecrust. Durham Spirits Company‘s Katie Coleman loves not only making this, but serving it to people.
Southern Tomato Pie (serves 6)
- 1 recipe pie crust
- 3 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
- 1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the piecrust: Roll out the piecrust to fit a 9-inch pan. Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the piecrust. Bake for 10 minutes.
Prepare the tomatoes: Place sliced tomatoes on a cooling rack inside a sheet tray and put into the oven for about 5 minutes to help dry out the tomatoes and concentrate the flavor.
Layer: After the crust and tomatoes are done, layer tomatoes and onions. Season with salt and pepper in between each layer.
Prepare the topping: Mix the mayonnaise with ¾ cup of the cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the topping evenly over the top of the pie, making sure to spread it all the way to the edges.
Bake: Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Rebecca Beck’s Cheese Straws
Memaw’s cheese straws are The Cookery/Dashi/Ponysaurus owner Rochelle Johnson‘s all-time favorite dish. Memaw claims modestly that they are just basically butter and cheese, but Rochelle says the way she pipes them to make them rigid and crunchy, plus their addictive saltiness, is the best. They never last long in their house, and probably won’t in yours, either.
Cheese Straws
- ½ pound butter at room temperature
- 1 pound N.Y. sharp cheddar cheese at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 2¾ cups flour
Preheat oven to 225 F.
Grate cheese.
Cream the butter, cheese, salt and pepper together.
Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing until creamy between each cup.
Put mixture into a cookie press. Use the star attachment.
Press out long strips onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 40 minutes. Test to see if they are crispy. If not, bake up to another 10 minutes.
Let cool and break into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Let sit for 1 hour, and then store in an airtight container.
Editorial note: These responses first appeared in our September 2016 issue.
