Market Meals is a collaboration between Boulder Reporting Lab and the Boulder County Farmers Markets, featuring weekly seasonal recipes built around ingredients from local growers, ranchers and food producers. Find it in Nibbles every Tuesday and on Boulder Reporting Lab. Sign up to get Nibbles in your inbox.
The prime of Boulder County’s tomato season is here, and with it come all the tomato sandwiches, gazpachos and caprese salads we can eat. Some shoppers may have been buying tomatoes from the farmers market for months, so where were these early-season tomatoes coming from?
Some farmers, including Jeremy Marsh of Rocky Mountain Fresh, grow tomatoes hydroponically in greenhouses. Instead of soil, Marsh uses ground coconut husks, known as coconut coir, held in compressed bags that expand when connected to the greenhouse drip system. This controlled growing method can make pest and disease management easier and bring tomatoes to farmers markets months earlier.
Most of the farmers in Boulder County grow their plants in soil, making soil health, precipitation and pest management huge parts of farming.
Enjoy the abundance of tomatoes now appearing in many shapes, sizes and flavors at farmers markets and farm stands with this easy tomato pie recipe. Unlike the square pizza called “tomato pie” in many parts of the United States, this savory, quiche-like pie is baked in a pastry crust.
Want to explore more delicious tomato recipes? Join Boulder County Farmers Markets at Summer Supper Club on Aug. 20, where the featured ingredient is tomatoes. Attendees bring a favorite fresh tomato-based dish to share.
Want to find more tomatoes at Boulder County roadside farm stands? Check out Boulder Reporting Lab’s handy guide.
Farmers Market Fresh Tomato Pie
- 1 9-inch pie dough round (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 2½ pounds ripe tomatoes (about 4 large tomatoes)
- About 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- About ¼ cup basil leaves, thinly sliced, plus extra for garnish
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Roll out the pie dough and shape it in a deep-dish glass pie plate, crimping the edges. Sprinkle cornmeal over the crust and keep it cool while preparing the filling. Cut the tomatoes into quarter-inch slices and remove the seeds. Arrange the slices on paper towels, sprinkle them with salt and let them sit for 30 minutes to release excess moisture.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. If using a non-glass pie dish, place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Set the pie dish on the hot sheet to help prevent a soggy crust.
In a bowl, stir together the cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, egg, cornstarch, Parmesan, basil, green onions and bacon, if using.
Pat the tomatoes dry and layer one-third in the bottom of the crust. Spread half the cheese mixture over the tomatoes. Add another third of the tomatoes, followed by the remaining cheese mixture. Finish with the remaining tomatoes and sprinkle with pepper.
Bake the pie for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden and the center of the pie is set, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature or until slightly warm before serving, topped with chopped fresh basil.
What’s fresh this week? Farmers are bringing sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, summer squash, melons, peaches, carrots, radishes, sugar snap peas, fennel, broccoli, fresh bouquets, meat, eggs and more this week to the Boulder and Longmont farmers markets.
Visiting the Markets
- 13th Street between Arapahoe Ave. and Canyon Blvd.
- 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays, April 4-Nov. 21; 3:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesdays, May 6-Oct. 7
- More information
- Boulder County Fairgrounds
- 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, April 4-Nov. 21
- More information
Have a tip or suggestion? Send your comments, questions and ideas to nibbles@boulderreportinglab.org.
