TOMATO SLAB PIE

Tomato Slab Pie image

In late summer, when zucchini and tomato seasons overlap, seize the moment to make this southern classic. In this modernized version from cookbook author Sarah Copeland, there's less cheese and more vegetables-but it is every bit as rich and satisfying.

Provided by Sarah Copeland

Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes

Time 2h5m

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose or white whole-wheat flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sugar
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
1 teaspoon apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup ice-cold water, plus more if needed
1 small head cauliflower, stem trimmed
1 small head broccoli, stem trimmed
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the bias into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
2 ounces fontina, grated (3/4 cup)
8 ounces cheddar, Colby, or Muenster, grated
2 medium tomatoes (9 ounces), thinly sliced

Steps:

Pulse flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-size pieces remaining. Stir vinegar into ice water; drizzle 3 tablespoons over flour mixture and pulse several times to combine. Add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture holds together when pinched. Shape dough into a rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day (or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using).
Brush a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet or baking pan with shortening; line with parchment, leaving a 1-inch overhang on long sides. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 12-by-15-inch rectangle. Transfer to prepared sheet, fitting dough into corners and tucking overhanging dough under. Refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice cauliflower lengthwise through core to make 1/2-inch-thick steaks. Slice broccoli lengthwise through stems into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (it's okay if they come apart slightly). Blanch cauliflower until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Blanch broccoli until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a separate plate. Blanch carrots until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes; transfer to a separate plate. Drizzle each plate of vegetables with 1 teaspoon oil. Toss zucchini in a bowl with thyme and remaining 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle panko evenly over bottom of dough, then sprinkle with fontina. Top with an even layer of cauliflower, then broccoli. Top with half of cheddar, then carrots, then zucchini. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar.
Arrange tomato slices on top; season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling around edges, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly. To serve, lift from pan using parchment overhang, then slice.