end-of-summer tomato pie with quinoa-almond crust

Tomato pie is a must-make before the end of summer, when tomatoes are at their peak and you can enjoy dinner outside. But the one downside to many tomato pie recipes is that they end up tasting too rich—weighed down with mayo and a butter-y crust. But this tomato pie is wonderfully light, filled with garlic, leeks, and juicy ripe tomatoes. 

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The hearty, healthy crust is deliciously unique. Toasted quinoa adds texture, almond meal adds a nice dimension of flavor, and it's held together just-enough with egg whites so that it still crumbles as you eat it. 

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The whole pie is topped with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, which melts into the tomatoes as it bakes in the oven. Save leftovers for lunch during the week—this pie is amazing eaten hot or cold!

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End-of-Summer Tomato Pie with Quinoa-Almond Crust
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa 
• 1/2 cup almond meal 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups thinly sliced leeks 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, sliced 
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place quinoa on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

Place half of quinoa in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining toasted quinoa, almond meal, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine. Add 1 tablespoon oil and egg, and stir until mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes.

Heat one tablespoon olive to a medium skillet and warm over medium-high heat. Add leeks; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Combine leek mixture, tomatoes, thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, let stand for 5 minutes. Add egg whites, stirring to combine.

Arrange tomato mixture in crust; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until filling is set. Let stand 10 minutes; cut into 8 wedges. Leftovers keep well in the fridge. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.