1/2teaspoonkosher salt, (use less if using fine salt or if using salted butter)
6Tablespoonsunsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4cupbuttermilk, (or make your own buttermilk by adding 2 tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar to 3/4 cup regular milk)
1 1/2lbs.roma tomatoes, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
Filling:
1cupgoat cheese, crumbled (don't crumble too fine - leave quite chunky)
1/2cupParmesan, coarsely grated(I use the large holes on my box grater)
2largeeggs
1/4cupheavy 35% whipping cream
Freshly ground pepper
6-8leavesFresh basil, whole or torn a bit if really large)
Additional Parmesan for sprinkling on top of tomatoes
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Instructions
Make the crust: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine. Add cold butter cubes and use your fingers to rub the butter in to the flour until they are pea-sized-ish pieces. Add about half of the buttermilk. Using a fork, stir to combine. Begin adding a bit more buttermilk while you continue to mix with a fork, adding only enough to bring the dough together into one mass. Remove to a piece of plastic wrap. Press in to a 1-inch thick disc, wrap tightly and refrigerate for one hour.
While the dough is refrigerating, place slices of tomatoes on a triple-layer of paper towel to drain. Be sure to allow them to sit on the paper towel for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare filling by combining all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine, but don't break up any large chunks of goat cheese. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 F.
When dough has chilled, remove to a well flour surface and using a rolling pin, roll in to a large enough circle to just fit your skillet or pie plate (bottom and sides). Place rolled dough in pan and press to fit. Pinch the top edges a bit to make it a little pretty, if you like.
Pour filling in to pie shell and spread to an even layer. Top filling with basil leaves. Arrange tomatoes on top by making over-lapping rings, starting from the outside and working your way in to the center. Go back and add a few more in a ring around the outside edge, so you have a nice layer of tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with a generous bit of salt and freshly ground pepper and sprinkle with an additional tablespoon or two of grated parmesan, if you like. If your side crust is extending well above your filling, push it down a bit, to within about 1/2-inch of the filling level, just so it doesn't over-brown as it cooks.
(I didn't have any issues with needing a baking sheet underneath in my skillet, but if your pie seems really full in your baking dish, you may wish to bake it on a baking sheet, just to be sure).
Bake in preheated 425 F. oven for about 30 minutes, checking top edges of crust after 20 minutes. If already browned nicely, loosely place a sheet of aluminum foil over-top for the last 10 minutes of baking. Check pie by inserting a butter knife in the centre to confirm the filling is set (there may be a little bit of moisture on top from the tomatoes, but the filling may still be set well underneath).