Whether or not served sizzling or chilly, Montgomery chef Preston Williams’ tomato pie is tough to beat. In actual fact, it has been named Finest Tomato Dish in Bama.
“I’ve made it on and off for a few years,” mentioned Williams of FDL Gourmand To Go. “It is one which FDL has actually targeted on perfecting. We began enjoying round with it when COVID hit, and we actually tried to take a standard tomato pie and make it the perfect it may be.”
So what’s a tomato pie?
“Our model is sliced tomatoes that we salt to extract a few of the moisture, after which we cowl them with a mix of cheese and mayonnaise, and a few seasonings,” Williams mentioned. “We do about 4 layers with tomatoes. High it with some cheese on a pie base.”
Bake it at 400 levels for 40 minutes, which is usually for the crust, Williams mentioned.
“It comes out like a quiche. Like a tomato quiche,” Williams mentioned. “It is much less of the quiche filling, and extra of the tomato being held collectively by the filling.”
The key to a extremely good tomato pie comes from extracting the additional moisture from the tomato beforehand.
“Tomatoes, when heated, launch a number of water,” Williams mentioned. “So we have found out a strategy to fight a few of that, so it isn’t as soggy or soggy as a cake when you bake it. The flavour of the tomato is concentrated. One in all our prospects mentioned it reminds him of a cake actually, actually recent lasagna or deep dish pizza.
Williams mentioned tomato pie is probably the most southern summer season dish she will consider except for succotash or sliced watermelon.
“You’ll be able to eat it sizzling, at room temperature, or chilly,” Williams mentioned. “So it is good, particularly for days like we’re having this week, when it should be extremely sizzling.”
The competition was organized by way of Candy Grown Alabama, a nonprofit group that works to attach Alabama meals with customers. For successful, Williams obtained a plaque, a money prize, and protection within the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Neighbors journal, and a spot on Merely Southern TV.
“And bragging rights, they are saying,” Williams mentioned.
FDL Gourmand To Go is a personal, chef-driven enterprise targeted on catering, connoisseur meals, and presents. After their tomato pie made it to the ultimate 4 of the competitors, the judges sampled the dish in particular person final week at Montgomery Curb Market, 1004 Madison Ave., the place FDL has a sales space. The victory was introduced on Monday.
Williams co-owns FDL with supervisor Phillip Carter. If he needs to get a tomato pie from FDL, Williams mentioned a 24-hour discover is required due to the preparation of the tomato.
The Montgomery Curb Market is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Observe FDL on-line at fdlcatering.com and name them at (334) 200-4545.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel at [email protected]