Tomato Pie

Lots of regional variations can be found but they all use the basics--- tomatoes, cheese, and mayonnaise ---  and produce a summery taste treat that can get by for a  few hours unrefrigerated, and is just as good at room temperature as it is warm from the oven. It's a welcome  side dish , brunch addition, or appetizer served in smaller slices.   Leftovers at our house reappear at breakfast.  I've seen several types of cheese used; basil added, and other variations but my preferred recipe is simple and always includes bacon, because  what isn't improved by bacon?

Bake a 9"  pie crust as directed, and cool it.  Cut about 3  nice ripe medium tomatoes into 1/4" slices, drain on a paper towel for 30 minutes and put them in the crust.  Sprinkle with 10 slices of crisp bacon, crumbled.  In a bowl, combine 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese with 3/4 c.  real mayonnaise.  Low fat or low calorie  mayo can't be used.   Spoon over the center of the pie, leaving about an inch exposed around the edges.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 30-40 minutes.   The  pie  crust and topping should be golden brown.  Check at about 20  minutes and cover edges with foil   if they are browning too much.  Let cool a bit if planning to indulge right  away.  If the topping seems a bit runny, it may be due to using   very juicy tomatoes or various brands of mayonnaise -so  reduce the amount a bit.   Or switch to good ole Hellmann's.  And even on the occasions when it  doesn't cut perfectly, it tastes awesome.