Cherry Tomato Pie

This juicy treat uses a double crust base. It's especially delicious if you love the crust as much as the filling!!
(makes 8 servings)

6 strips uncured* smoked* bacon
1 15 oz. package rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust (2 crusts)
2/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
4 cups cherry tomatoes
1 T. EVOO
1/4 cup fresh lemon* basil, finely chopped (if you can't lemon, use reg. basil)
1/2 t. Kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 8 oz. package cream cheese with chives*, softened
1/4 cup light* mayo.
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 t. finely shredded lemon peel
Chopped leaf lettuce
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400. in a large skillet, cook bacon until just done but not crisp. Transfer to paper towels; drain. Reserve 1 T. bacon drippings in skillet; set aside. Let piecrust stand at room temp. for 20 mins. On a lightly floured surface, stack the two piecrusts. Roll from center to edges to form a 12" circle. Wrap pastry around rolling pin; unroll into a 9" deep dish pie plate. (Sides should be 2-2&1/2" deep). Ease pastry into pie plate, allowing edges to form a loose ruffled or scalloped effect. Gently press pastry into bottom of pie plate. Sides will not lay flat against pie plate. Prick bottom of pastry. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake 10 mins. Remove foil; bake 5 mins. more. Remove, and reduce oven temp to 375. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the piecrust. Place half the bacon around the edge of the crust. Set aside. Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings over med. heat until tender. Drain drippings; set aside. Halve 2 cups of the cherry tomatoes, leaving the remaining 2 cups whole. Place halved and whole tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, 2 T. of the basil, salt, and 1/4 t. of pepper; stir to combine. In a separate bowl beat together cream cheese, mayo., egg yolk, cooked onions, lemon peel, and remaining Parmesan, basil, and pepper. Spoon cream cheese mixture into piecrust. Top with tomato mixture. Nestle the remaining bacon slices among the tomatoes, weaving bacon between the tomatoes. Gently press tomatoes and bacon into cream cheese mixture. Bake pie until tomatoes just begin to brown, about 35 mins. (Loosely cover pie with foil in edges begin to brown too quickly.) Let stand 60 mins. Top with chopped leaf lettuce, and serve with lemon wedges.

Editor's note: Doesn't this sound perfect for a picnic or your 4th of July "Q"?

"Trust and Obey" today! And have FUN!!!

Love,

MM