Green Tomato Pie: a new favorite

Often our gardens are still full of green tomatoes when frost is predicted. One delicious way to use these green tomatoes is in a pie. With the addition of orange zest, raisins and freshly grated spices, it may replace apple pie on your list of favorites.

Green Tomato Pie

• 6 green tomatoes (or enough to make 4 cups of sliced tomatoes)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice or orange juice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon (freshly grated cinnamon sticks if possible)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup all- purpose gluten free flour (regular flour may be used if preferred)

Your favorite pie crust recipe (enough for two crust pie) or *gluten-free pie crust mix.

Slice the green tomatoes thinly just as you would for an apple pie (1/4″). If the slices are too thick, they may not soften sufficiently before the crust is baked. Add the remaining ingredients to the sliced tomatoes and stir to uniformly coat the tomatoes. Pour the mixture into a pastry lined pie pan. Dot the filling with a tablespoon of butter that has been diced and top with the second rolled pastry round. Trim and crimp the edges and brush the top crust with a bit of cream. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and make 4 or 5 slits in the top crust.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. The filling should slightly bubble through the slits.

*Gluten-free pie crusts lack the gluten that makes wheat flour crusts a bit stretchy and easier to roll. You will find gluten-free pastry dough is easier to handle if it is quite chilled. Place a disc of pastry dough between two sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper before rolling it. Remove the top wrap and invert onto the pie pan. Repeat with the top crust.