There is no shortage of vine-ripened, near candy-sweet, cherry tomatoes at this point of summer. If your garden hasn’t already exploded with them, you can join other urbanites and get them at bargain prices at a farmers market near you!
When I first spied this recipe, Mark Bittman called it his “Best Summer Cobbler”. As a Bittman fan, how could I not give it a whirl? That was five years ago, and I can tell you, the dish is a hit with all the senses. (OK, maybe not auditory, unless you count slurping up every last drop.). And it is a great canvas for all sorts of adaptations for herbs, spices, a few different veggies, you name it!
If you are truly up-to-there with a cherry tomato surplus, you will be happy to know this recipe will use two very generous pints.
Savory Tomato Cobbler
Ingredients
Biscuit Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into half-inch cubes, very cold
- 1/2 cup buttermilk very cold
- 1 large egg cold
Cherry Tomato Mixture
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes de-stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
- 1 medium red onion, about 1 cup diced
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic, about 1 tablespoon thinly sliced
- 1 – 2 tablespoons fresh herbs basil, marjoram, etc.
- Pinch red pepper flakes to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 – 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Position an oven rack at the lower third position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.
- Lightly oil a 9-inch baking dish with olive oil. Note that glass plans usually warn of baking at high temperature, so use a ceramic, or non-reactive metal pan or skillet to be on the safe side.
- In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Splash the olive oil all over and stir gently to distribute the ingredients evenly. Transfer into the prepared baking dish. Set aside whilst preparing the cobbler.
- Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, including the cheese, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs. Add the egg and buttermilk and pulse a few times to create a sticky dough.
- Drop dollops of the biscuit dough evenly on top of the cherry tomatoes. Each dollop should measure a generous 1/ 8 cup. Pat the dough out slightly but leave space between the cobbles as they will expand during baking.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the biscuits are golden and cooked through; and the tomatoes and onions have softened. I actually don’t mind a little texture remaining in the onions. If you want them perfectly soft, chop them a bit finer.
- Let sit for about five minutes before serving. If the tomatoes are juicy, there will be liquid in the bottom of the dish. I just use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve, which strains it well enough.
