Weeknight Detroit-Style Tomato Pie
Here’s a cheese-and-tomato pie inspired by a visit to King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich, Vermont.
By Yankee Magazine|Jun 28 2026|
Weeknight Detroit-Style Tomato Pie
Credit: Styling and photo by Liz NeilyFor a season 10 Weekends with Yankee segment, King Arthur Baking Company contributor Jessica Battilana taught cohost and Yankee senior food editor Amy Traverso the secret of making Detroit-style pizza, a thick-crust pie baked in a rectangular pan and topped with a glorious abundance of cheese—and even sprinkled down the sides of the crust, where it crisps and caramelizes while baking. Here’s a cheese-and-tomato pie inspired by the visit.
Yield
About 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh, ripe tomatoes, preferably a mix of large and small (cherry or grape)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella
²⁄3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 large shallot, thinly sliced crosswise
¼–½ teaspoon red chili flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Thinly sliced basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
If using refrigerated store-bought dough, let it sit in a covered, oiled bowl at room temperature until it begins to rise, 2 to 4 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Preheat your oven to 475°F. When the dough is ready, pour 1 tablespoon oil into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (preferably metal) and spread it over the surface. Put the dough in the pan, turn it to coat, and gently poke it all over with your fingertips to begin spreading it out toward the edges of the pan. When the dough begins to resist, cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rest until it’s workable, about 30 minutes. Spread it to the edges again, then bake until it has risen and set but hasn’t browned at all, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the large tomatoes crosswise and halve the small ones. Mix the three cheeses together in a bowl.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add the sliced shallot, chili flakes, and salt and sauté until the shallot is soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
When the dough comes out of the oven, arrange the shallot slices evenly over the surface, then top with the tomatoes in a pretty design. Sprinkle a handful of cheese down the edge of the pizza where it meets the pan. Repeat, working around the edges, until you’ve used up about 2/3 of the cheese. Sprinkle the rest over the top of the pizza.
Bake until the edges are caramelized and crisp and the tomatoes have softened, 15 to 20 minutes more. Use a dull knife or flexible metal spatula to loosen the pizza edges. Use a spatula to lift the pizza inside the pan, then tilt the pan and slide the pizza onto a wire rack to rest for a few minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, sprinkle all over with basil, cut into 8 rectangular slices, and serve.
