Michigan Cottage Cook: ZUCCHINI TOMATO CHEESE PIE FROM JEN B.

This absolutely wonderful pie comes from my Physical Therapist, Jen, at Generation Care. She is one of the great people who have made moving possible for me with my "bionic" knees. Since having my knee surgery I have developed a deep admiration for the people who help their patients with physical and occupational therapy. The therapists'
knowledge, support, caring, patience, and abilities are so valuable to those of us who need help. My hat goes off to them for their work. I am so thankful that we have therapists to not only help people like me with rather minor problems, but therapists who are there to help our troops who come home from war with major problems.

This pie looks fancy and tastes elegant, but it is one of Jen's "go to" recipes when she is in the store and doesn't know what to make for dinner. This is really a quick and easy recipe. The instructions take longer to read than the pie takes to make.

Back in the days when the word homemaker was used instead of the word housewife, I was "known" for my flaky, tender pie crust. Now I am no longer married to a house and therefore, not a housewife and I am not a "homemaker" anymore either. I buy my refrigerated pie crusts from Pillsbury. My friend, Cathy, still makes her pie crust using Jiffy Mix. Quality shortcuts are truly wonderful. One important thing to remember when you are using the refrigerated rolled pie crusts is to put rolled-up side down into the pie pan, otherwise those stubborn crusts will roll right back up when you put them in the oven to bake. A lesson I learned the hard way.

I haven't given a quantity for how many zucchini you need to make the pie because zucchini comes in sizes from huge to baby. What you need are enough slices from the zucchini to cover the 9-inch crust twice. When I went to the Farmer's Market to get my ingredients for the pie, I was late and all that were left were some baby zucchini and only one yellow zucchini. My pie would have been prettier if I had gotten up earlier that day. If you end up with too much zucchini try: http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2012/08/roasted-zucchini-with-parmesan-cheese.html

The Feta cheese with tomato and basil can be found in the speciality cheese section of the grocery store. Of course, Parmesan cheese is best freshly grated. I sometimes cheat with pre-shredded cheese. In my pie, I substituted some Asiago cheese for the Parmesan as I wanted to use the Asiago cheese up before it molded.

According to The Cheese Lady in Muskegon, the difference between Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheese is that Parmesan has a nutty back note, Asiago a sweet note and Romano cheese is salty.

ZUCCHINI TOMATO CHEESE PIE FROM JEN B.

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
1 c Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
1 T olive oil
1 c red onion, chopped
1 t garlic, minced
1/2 salt, or less as the cheese is salty
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Yellow zucchini or summer squash, cut into thin slices
Green zucchini, cut into thin slices
3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 (4oz) pkg. Feta cheese with basil and tomato, crumbled

Ingredients: Pie crust, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, red onion, garlic, salt and pepper, yellow zucchini or summer squash, green zucchini, Roma tomatoes, and Feta cheese with basil and tomato.

Make or unroll a prepared pie crust and put into a 9-inch pie pan. Prick all over the whole pie crust with a fork. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F. oven for 10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown. Remove crust from the oven and immediately put one-half of the grated Parmesan cheese on the crust. Set aside. Heat a small frying pan and add the olive oil. Add the chopped red onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat until onions are wilted and soft. Do not allow to brown. Salt and pepper, to taste. Put the sauteed onion mixture on top of the Parmesan cheese in the pie crust. On top of the onions, put a layer of yellow squash, a layer of green squash, and a layer of tomato slices. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle the second half-cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the vegetable layers. Top with the Feta Cheese with Basil and Tomato over the top of the Parmesan cheese. Bake the pie at 425 degrees F. approximately 25 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender. Cover the pie with a loose sheet of aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Place prepared pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan.

With a fork, prick the pie crust all over. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F. oven for approximately 10 minutes or until crust is a very light golden color.

Remove crust from the oven and immediately spread one-half cup of Parmesan cheese on the hot crust. Set aside.

Thinly slice zucchini with a knife or mandolin slicer.

Mince garlic and chop the red onion.

When the onion is chopped, put olive oil in a skillet and heat.

Add chopped onions and garlic to the pan and saute until onions are soft. Do not brown.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Put onion mixture on top of the cheese in the pie crust.

Sliced zucchini and tomatoes ready to be layer into pie crust.

On top of onion layer, start layering the green zucchini.

Put a single layer of green zucchini on top of onion mixture.

Put a layer of yellow squash on top of the green squash.

Top yellow squash with a layer of tomatoes.

Repeat layer of green squash.

Repeat layer of yellow squash. Just pretend my squash is yellow.

Top with second layer of tomatoes.

Top tomatoes with second one-half cup of Parmesan cheese.

Top Parmesan cheese with Feta cheese with tomato and basil.

Return to 425 degree F. oven for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp tender. For the last 15 minutes, cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil.