If you’re the kind of person who eats french fries with her ketchup; if you like your pies as adventurous as your women; if okra slime really gets you going; then this pie is for you. With tart green tomatoes, sliced stars of okra, and an ample dose of brown sugar and golden raisins, this pie doesn’t sit squarely in the dinner or dessert category. And although there is no actual ketchup in this pie, you wouldn’t know it from tasting it.

Once I saw green tomatoes at the farmers market, I became fixated on finding some way to incorporate them into a pie. I made a delicious green tomato chutney last fall and am a big fan of fried green tomatoes, but felt that there had to be more versatile uses for the humble green tomato. Layering it with cheese and other nightshades seemed too predictable, and I knew the firmness of the tomato would have to be cooked down somewhat to be soft enough in a pie or tart. But I remembered that chutney – the sweet and tart flavors of green tomatoes, apples, raisins, and vinegar – and started experimenting.

The result is something reminiscent of summer barbecues and medieval mincemeat pies. Enjoy it on its own, or with a bitter green salad or a pork chop to provide some weight against the sweet, tangy flavor of the pie. If you do eat meat, incorporating some shredded pork into the filling itself would also probably be a pretty delicious modification.

ketchup pie

CRACKED PEPPER PIE PASTRY
(makes one six-inch disk)

1 cup white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
1/4 t salt
1 T freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup *cold* unsalted butter
1/4 cup ice water
1/2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice (pour it into the ice water)

Mix the dry ingredients together. Cut in the butter with your fingers until there are pea-sized bits of butter distributed throughout. If the dough gets greasy or warm, stick it in the fridge for 15 minutes. Dribble in the water/lemon juice mixture slowly, incorporating it into the dough with a spoon. Dump the dough onto the counter, knead together a few times, then divide into 2 balls. Flatten the balls with your hands, wrap tightly in cling wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour before using (ideally overnight). Keep refrigerated up to 3 days, or freeze in a freezer plastic bag for 4 months.

When ready to make the pie, roll out the disc of dough on a lightly floured counter and transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to relax.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425. Prick the chilled pie pastry all over with the tines of a fork, line it with aluminum foil, and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights, and bake for 5 minutes more until starting to color slightly. Remove from the oven and prick any air pockets with the tip of a knife.

While still warm, fill the pie crust with the cooked and prepared pie filling (recipe follows) and bake.

PIE FILLING

1 small yellow onion, diced
4 green tomatoes, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup sliced okra
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 T peeled and freshly grated ginger root
1 T fig jam
1 tsp. hot sauce
3 whole cloves
1/2 cup water
olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup half and half or cream

BREAD CRUMB CRUST

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in 1 T of olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, then add the tomato paste, ginger root, fig jam, hot sauce, and golden raisins and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, okra, brown sugar, red wine vinegar and cloves, and continue to stir until the filling becomes saucy and thick. Continue to cook for about 30 minutes – if the filling becomes dry, add the water. You don’t want the filling to be runny, but you want the flavors and textures to begin to meld.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs with the cream. In a separate bowl, combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375. Once the filling is ready, pour it into the pre-baked pie crust. Pour the egg/cream custard over the top, and sprinkle the pie with the bread crumb crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set and the crust is golden. Serve warm.