isn’t corn just wonderful?  it really is one of my favorite foods.  i love that corn can go either sweet or savory – or both, hitting that salty-sweet combo that just sings to me.  like peanut butter or kettle corn or flaky sea salt on brownies.

last year, we went to san francisco for my (and a friends!) birthday and had dinner one night at a swanky restaurant with corn-themed dessert.  it was a crazy landscape of a dessert.  literally. it had “soil” and little plants and all kinds of amazing corn-based delights and i think i just planted my face into it and hoped the somm and friend were enjoying some other dessert menu item.

i’m not a good sharer.

at least when it comes to dessert.  i’m totally happy to share this recipe – which is savory despite that long corn-dessert aside.  homemade corn ice cream is sooooo on my summer wish list.

this corn “pie” delivers the essence of corn in all it’s summer glory.  it’s rich but light, and the sweet corn is perfectly complemented by the crispy, cheesey topping and herbal notes from the basil and thyme.

plus it couldn’t be easier.

cut the kernels off your corn.  i like to do it in a bowl.  it keeps the kernels from going everywhere.

use your knife skills to matchstick some zucchini.  this is not my best effort.  but, to be honest, i put this bad boy together post happy hour on a friday.  anything more advanced than take out or a bowl of cereal was winning.

throw it together in a pie dish with herbs, salt & pepper and some melted butter.

pretty.

layer on some tomatoes.

red and yellow.  gorgeous.

finish it off with bread crumbs and parmesan.

bake until brown and crispy.  nom nom.

Corn, Tomato & Zucchini Pie

Adapted from Epicurious 

• 3 ears of corn worth of corn kernels
• 1-2 medium zucchini, cut into matchstick pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil and/or thyme
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs, Panko-type are best
• 2 tablespoons olive oil – I used basil-flavored, yum

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a 9-inch pie dish, combine the corn, zucchini, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, the herbs, and the melted butter, tossing to coat the vegetables. Cover the vegetables with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the cheese and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake the pie for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Remove it from the oven, and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.