I know what you’re thinking. ย You really don’t even have to say it. ย I put the words ‘tomato’ and ‘cobbler’ in the same recipe title. ย Clearly something has gone wrong here. ย How can it be cobbler without peaches, blueberries, strawberries… or maybe even some sort of salty bacon topping? ย How can it be cobbler without crunchy oats and cinnamon?
Trust me… I definitely had my reservations when it came to this recipe. ย I like tomatoes…. but how much do I reeaallly like tomatoes. ย If I pick around all the big tomato chunks in my dad’s spaghetti sauce… does that mean this dish is going to stress me out? ย Wait. ย There are biscuits involved. ย Do biscuits rescue any dish? ย Yes. ย They do. ย … it’s go-time.
These tomatoes are a big deal. ย They’re juicy and sweet. ย They’re amazing plain or roasted. ย They’re just begging to be fussed over. ย Really… they need no biscuit salvation. ย They’re divine on their own.
Tomatoes aren’t the only star of the show. ย Fresh basil, loads of sliced garlic, and balsamic are also a big deal in this simple recipe.
Beyond the sweet summer tomatoes, caramelized onions also play a leading role. ย They add a very grounding element to the sweet acidity of the dish. ย Luscious, I tell you. ย Dang luscious.
The seasoned herb, onion, and tomato mixture is tossed with a bit of flour that will act as a thickener. ย Toss it in the oven for a bit of pre-roasting while the biscuits are made and shaped. ย Your house will smell fantastic-o!
Another day. ย Another biscuit.
You know how it goes around here.
This time around we’re adding buttermilk and blue cheese.
The cheese happens to be a Danish buttermilk blue cheese. ย Swoon for real.
Biscuit dough is lightly kneaded and shaped.
And cut into perfectly imperfect circles.
I had a few extra biscuits that didn’t fit in the cobbler pan. ย Those went in the freezer, unbaked, for future-brunch.
Brush biscuits with buttermilk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. ย Get this goodness baking again!
Golden brown biscuits and warm, bursting tomatoes. ย If there were ever any doubt about the deliciousness of this recipe, about whether or not tomatoes could be substantial enough to carry a dish…. that all goes right out the window at this very moment.
Call your friends… this dish is dang good. ย It’s equal parts light and hearty. ย It’s sweet and savory. ย The blue cheese tang is out of this world in the tender biscuits. ย This dish is ultimately satisfying. ย This would be the perfect dish to bring to a summer potluck for a more substantial and hearty feel. ย Who wants to bring the girl with the banana-heavy fruit salad? ย No one wants to be that girl. ย Step it up!
Tomato Cobbler with Blue Cheese Biscuits
serves 6
inspired by Martha Stewart and the Clinton St Bakery Cookbook
For the Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold and cut into cubes (or substitute unsalted butter here)
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
For the Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 pounds cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil (or a combination of chopped fresh thyme, oregano, and parsley)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and coarsely ground black pepper
To make the Biscuits:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. ย Add cold butter and shortening. ย With your fingers, quickly break up the fat into the dry ingredients. ย Rub the fats into the dry ingredients until well incorporated. ย Some butter pieces will be the size of small peas, other will be the size of oat flakes. ย Toss in blue cheese crumbles. ย Stir to incorporate.
Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture. ย Add buttermilk all at once. ย With a fork, quickly bring together the wet and dry ingredients. ย The dough will be rather shaggy. ย Dump dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. ย Knead dough about 10 times, bringing it together into a disk. ย Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is assembled.
To make the tomato Filling:
Add olive oil and butter to a medium saute pan over medium heat. ย Add sliced onions and season with salt and pepper. ย Cook and brown onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 18 to 20 minutes. ย Add garlic and cook for one minute more. ย Remove pan from heat, add balsamic vinegar and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together clean cherry tomatoes (no need to cut them), chopped basil (or whatever herbs you’re using), flour, and red pepper flakes. ย Add caramelized onions and toss together until everything is lightly and evenly coated in flour. ย Season with salt and pepper.
Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Pour the tomato and onion filling into a square 8×8-inch baking dish. ย Place in the oven and bake tomatoes filling for 15 to 18 minutes.
Remove the biscuit dough from the fridge. ย On a lightly floured work surface, roll out biscuit dough into a 3/4 or 1-inch thickness. ย Use a 1 1/2 to 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. ย Dip the cutter in flour should it get sticky.
Remove the partially cooked filling from the oven and carefully place 6 biscuits atop the tomato filling in the pan. ย Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. ย Reshape and reroll excess biscuit dough to make extra biscuits at another time. ย (The shaped biscuit dough freezes very well.)
Return warm filling and biscuit dough to oven and bake for 17-22 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, and the tomato mixture is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. ย Tomato Cobbler is best served warm. ย
262 Responses
12 years since this recipe was posted and I’m still making it at least once every summer with cherry tomatoes from our garden. Another family favorite from joythebaker!