Country pie with ham, cream cheese and tomatoes

Ingredients:

Cornmeal pie crust

• 0.5 cups yellow corn flour
• 3/4 cup premium flour
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 1/3 cup of shortening
• 5 tablespoons of ice water
• Flour for working, as needed
• Special equipment: a deep pie dish with a diameter of 22 cm; pie weights or dry beans

Filling

• 4-5 ox heart tomatoes, sliced ​​into rounds
• 1 tbsp. l. homemade seasoning, see recipe below
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives, plus extra for serving
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley + extra for serving
• Half a large Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
• 110 gr. smoked pork, ham or smoked bacon, diced
• 1 cup pimento cheese, recipe below

Homemade seasoning

• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Pimento cheese

• 220 gr. yellow cheddar, grated
• 110 g mature cheddar, grated
• 220 g softened cream cheese
• 110 g pimento peppers, drained and chopped
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika

Preparation:

1. Cornmeal crust:
   
   Combine the cornflour, wheat flour, and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until a dough forms. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Filling:
   
   Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on baking sheets lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow the tomatoes to drain, then pat dry with paper towels.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C.
4. Roll the dough into a 32 cm (12 in) circle and place it in a deep 22 cm (9 in) pie pan. Fold the edges under and crimp them. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is golden brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, carefully remove the parchment and weights, and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
5. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the homemade dressing. Layer a third of the tomatoes on the baked crust and sprinkle with a third of the herbs. Top with half the onions, half the ham, and 1/3 cup pimento cheese. Repeat the layers one more time. Top with the remaining tomatoes, herbs, and the remaining 1/3 cup pimento cheese. Bake on the bottom rack until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if desired.
6. Pimento cheese:
   Pimento is a red chili pepper, also known as clove pepper, sold canned and with a sweet, peppery flavor. The pieces are used to flavor cheese sauces, pizza, and olive toppings. Dried pimento powder is used as a spice, for rimming martinis, or as a substitute for hot paprika..
   
   Place the cheddar, cream cheese, pimento, and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix. Add the green onions, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Yield: 3 tablespoons.
   
   Homemade seasoning:
   Homemade spiced salt adds flavor to baked vegetables, breadcrumbs, and can be used for marinating. Store in a tightly sealed container..
   
   In a small bowl, combine garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper.