The Briny Lemon: Summer Vegetable and Cheese Pie

-->

This hearty vegetarian pie is loaded with the flavors of summer—and plenty of cheese. Peppers, fresh corn, summer squash, scallions, sweet tomatoes, oh yeah. And when you add the cheesy, salty bite of asiago along with creamy provolone and ricotta, you’ve got a rich, flavorful pie to celebrate the season. You won’t miss the meat.

Tip: Removing the kernels from an ear of corn is easy. Stand the ear in a shallow bowl and gently scrape down the sides just beneath the kernels with a large, sharp knife. Take it slowly so that the kernels land in the bowl, not on the walls.

For potpies that aren’t so vegetarian, check out Skillet Chicken Potpie with Fresh Herbs and Spinach and Smoked Salmon Pie.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

olive oil for oiling skillet
1 14.1-oz package refrigerated piecrusts (2 crusts)
1 cup coarsely shredded asiago cheese
1/2 cup coarsely shredded provolone cheese
1/2 cup mixed, chopped red and green bell pepper (or all red)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
fresh corn kernels from 1 large ear
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 very small zucchini, thinly sliced (1/8-inch)
1 very small yellow squash, thinly sliced (1/8-inch)
2 large roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (1/8-inch) and patted dry with paper towels
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 egg white, whisked

Provolone, Asiago, and Ricotta

Pie Vegetables

Yellow Squash and Zucchini

Pat tomato slices dry

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Lightly oil a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and place 1 piecrust in the bottom, pressing gently against the sides.

In a bowl, toss together the asiago and provolone cheeses. In another bowl, combine the bell pepper, scallions, corn, and ricotta.

Ready to Fill

Peppers, Scallions, and Corn

Ricotta Added

Scatter 1/3 of the asiago and provolone mixture over the piecrust. Top with half the zucchini slices and half the yellow squash slices, mixing vegetables throughout the layer. (Overlap as needed, but don't double-stack. Save any remaining vegetables for later use.)

Spread half the ricotta mixture on top, then top with half the tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper.

Scatter another 1/3 of the asiago and provolone mixture over the tomatoes and repeat the layering, ending with the remaining 1/3 asiago and provolone mixture on top.

Top with the remaining piecrust, crimping the edges around the border. Make crisscross cuts in the top crust and brush with egg white.

Bake 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.