Bacon Onion Tomato Pie

 

1. 🍽️ Dish Overview & Inspiration (≈150 words)

Bacon Onion Tomato Pie is a savory, flavor-packed galette with a crisp, buttery crust, caramelized onions, smoky bacon, tangy tomatoes, and creamy cheese filling. It fuses quiche, tomato pie, and onion tart elements into one comforting dish perfect for brunch, lunch, light dinner, or picnic. The layers—flaky crust, sweet onions, custardy egg-cheese mixture, juicy tomatoes, and crisp bacon—come together to create a textural and taste symphony.

The process:

1. Prep and bake a basic pastry crust.

2. Caramelize onions slowly.

3. Render bacon pieces.

4. Assemble with custard base, tomatoes, and cheese.

5. Bake until set and golden.

This recipe breaks the method into manageable parts, offers a printable ingredient checklist, provides possible make-ahead steps, explores dietary adjustments, and suggests wine, garnish, and storage tips. Whether you're an experienced baker or a beginner, this detail-rich walkthrough ensures you take the right steps for a show-stopping Bacon Onion Tomato Pie.

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2. INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENT (≈200 words)

2.1 Ingredients

For the Pastry (makes one 9″ single-crust pie):

• 1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

• 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances savory flavors)

• 8 Tbsp (113 g, 1 stick) unsalted butter, ice-cold, cubed

• 2–4 Tbsp ice water

For the Filling:

• 6–8 oz (170–225 g) bacon (streaky/smoked), cut into ½″ pieces

• 2 large yellow onions (about 12–14 oz / 340–400 g), thinly sliced

• 2 Tbsp olive oil or 1 Tbsp butter (for onions)

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• ½ cup (120 ml) half-and-half or heavy cream

• 1 cup (100 g) grated cheese (cheddar, Gruyère, or mozzarella)

• 2–3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 10–12 oz / 280–340 g), sliced ¼″ thick

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Garnish (optional):

• Fresh basil or parsley

• Drizzle of olive oil or balsamic glaze

2.2 Tools & Equipment

• 9″ pie plate or 9″ tart pan (4 cm /1⅝″ deep)

• Rolling pin and pastry board or large plate

• Skillet or sauté pan

• Mixing bowls

• Whisk or fork

• Baking sheet (to catch drips)

• Aluminum foil or pie shield (for crust edges)

• Sharp knife, grater

• Cooling rack

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3. STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION (≈600 words)

3.1 Step 1: Make the Crust

1. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, and sugar.

2. Cut in butter: Add cubed, chilled butter. Use pastry blender or fingers to incorporate until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-size butter bits. Leave some larger pieces for flakiness.

3. Add ice water: Drizzle 1 Tbsp at a time while stirring gently with a fork or spatula, until dough just comes together—pressing holds it but isn't sticky. Avoid overmixing.

4. Form disk & chill: Gather into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 30 min (allows gluten to relax and butter to firm).

5. Roll out: On a lightly floured surface, roll to 12″ diameter, ~⅛″ thick and even. Rotate and dust as you go. Transfer to pie plate by draping and lightly pressing; trim overhang and crimp edges as desired, or cover edges with foil. Chill while prepping filling.

Tips: Use a bench scraper to transfer dough. Chilled dough = flakier crust.

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3.2 Step 2: Caramelize the Onions

1. Heat fat: Warm olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-low.

2. Add onions: Stir to coat; sauté for 10 min until translucent.

3. Lower heat & continue: Reduce to low, season with salt/pinch sugar; cook 25–35 min, stirring occasionally. Aim for deep golden color, not burnt.

4. Deglaze (optional): Splash of water, broth, wine, or sherry towards the end to lift browned bits. Let liquid evaporate.

5. Cool slightly before assembling.

Pro tip: Use cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan. Add butter at end for silky sheen.

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3.3 Step 3: Cook the Bacon

1. Cook bacon: In separate pan, fry over medium heat until crispy.

2. Drain: Use slotted spoon onto paper towels; reserve some fat (1 Tbsp optional for flavor).

3. Chop or crumble bacon if large after crisping.

Tip: For less fat, microwave bacon first—then lightly fry.

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3.4 Step 4: Mix the Egg-Cream Base

1. In bowl, whisk eggs until smooth.

2. Add half-and-half/cream, salt (approx. ½ tsp), ¼ tsp pepper, thyme if using.

3. Taste raw custard (cheese later) to ensure balanced seasoning.

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3.5 Step 5: Assemble the Pie

1. Preheat oven: 375°F (190°C) conventional oven (if convection, drop to 350°F).

2. Blind bake crust:

   • Prick bottom with fork

   • Line with parchment and pie weights/dried beans

   • Bake 15 min; remove weights & paper, return 5 min until dry

3. Layer onions: Spread caramelized onions evenly on crust.

4. Distribute bacon: Even layer of crisp pieces.

5. Sprinkle cheese: Cover bacon-onion layer.

6. Add tomatoes: Arrange overlapping slices in concentric circles or haphazardly; season lightly with salt & pepper.

7. Pour custard: Evenly over ingredients, watching first tomato layer; pieces may float—don’t worry.

8. Top with leftover cheese: If needed or edging more color.

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3.6 Step 6: Bake the Pie

1. Bake: Place on baking sheet for catch drips; bake 35–40 min until custard sets (slightly wobbly center). Cheese should be bubbling/golden.

2. Shield crust: If edges over-brown during final 10 min, tent with foil or shield ring.

3. Resting: Cool 10 min in pan, then 20 min on rack before slicing to avoid runny filling.

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4. SERVING, PRESENTATION & PAIRINGS (≈150 words)

1. Slice using a thin, sharp knife; wipe clean between cuts.

2. Garnish lightly with fresh basil/parley and drizzle olive oil or balsamic.

3. Serve warm or room temp—excellent for brunch, lunch, picnic, or dinner side.

4. Pairings:

   • Crisp white: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio

   • Light red: Pinot Noir

   • Sparkling: Prosecco, Cava

   • Non-alcoholic: Iced herbal tea, sparkling water with citrus

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5. VARIATIONS & CUSTOMIZATIONS (≈300 words)

5.1 Cheese Options

• Gruyère: Deeper nuttiness

• Mozzarella: Mild stretchy texture

• Feta or goat cheese: Tangy accent—use ½ cup

• Blue cheese: Strong aromatic twist; dot cubes sparingly

5.2 Crust Alternatives

• Whole wheat: Swap ½ flour for whole wheat

• Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup GF blend + 1 tsp xanthan gum

• Savory crust: Add 1 tsp dried herbs or grated Parmesan to dough

5.3 Vegetable Add-ins

• Peppers: Sliced roasted or fresh bell peppers

• Spinach / Swiss chard: Sauté until wilted & drained

• Mushrooms: Sautéed with garlic, thyme

• Olives or sun-dried tomatoes: For Mediterranean vibe

5.4 Meat Options

• Cooked ham pieces or prosciutto

• Cooked, crumbled sausage

• Smoked salmon — fold into custard and omit bacon

5.5 Make-Ahead & Freezing

• Blind bake & freeze baked shell for up to 1 month

• Make onions and bacon ahead; cool, store 3 days

• Assemble and bake from chilled

• Freeze whole or slices (cool thoroughly, wrap double, freeze 2–3 months)—reheat at 350°F until warm.

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6. TROUBLESHOOTING (≈200 words)

Problem	Cause	Solution
Soggy crust	Wet tomatoes, no blind baking	Precook shell, pat tomatoes dry
Runny center	Underbaked	Increase bake time 5–10 min or tent top
Case separates from crust	Overbake, high heat	Monitor carefully, reduce heat/time
Bitter onions	Burned during caramelization	Reduce heat, stir more, use splash of acid
Watery dish after bake	Tomato juice released	Bake longer, rest, drain, or pat tomatoes dry
Crust too brown	Over-baking	Wrap edge with foil after 20 min