Tomato Cobbler with Gruyere Biscuits

When I think of cobbler I think of warm comfort food.  And, I'm sure like many others, I usually associate cobbler with sweet and berries rather than salt and savory.  Well, I was looking for ideas to use up a bunch of cherry tomatoes and this idea totally intrigued me!  While I don't usually like roasted tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, on the other hand, are just delicious!

This is a beautiful cobbler with caramelized onions a splash of balsamic with the sweet warm tomatoes that burst in your mouth and a little hint of heat from some red pepper. The biscuits on top are light and fluffy marbled with creamy Gruyere cheese. This is a perfect dish for a cold night when you're needing some comfort!  It would also be beautiful in little ramekins, as individual portions, as well.

Tomato Cobbler

for the biscuits:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp.  sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (you could easily substitute Swiss, goat cheese or even blue cheese)
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

For the tomato filling:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 pounds cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and coarsely ground black pepper


To make the Biscuits: In a mixing bowl, fitted with a metal blade, pulse together flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Add cold butter and whiz until mixture forms a coarse meal.  Alternately you can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or two knives.  Pour mixture into a regular mixing bowl, toss in shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture.  Add buttermilk all at once.  With a fork, quickly bring together the wet and dry ingredients. The dough will be a bit shaggy.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Knead  about 10 times, bringing it together into a disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is assembled.

To make the tomato Filling:  Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Add olive oil and butter to a medium saute pan over medium heat.  Add sliced onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook and brown onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 18 to 20 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for one minute more.  Remove pan from heat, add balsamic vinegar and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together clean cherry tomatoes, chopped basil, flour, and red pepper flakes.  Add caramelized onions and toss together until everything is lightly and evenly coated in flour.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the tomato and onion filling into an 8-inch or similar baking dish. Place in the oven and bake filling for 25 minutes.

Near the end of the 25 minutes, remove the biscuit dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out biscuit dough into a 3/4 or 1-inch thickness.  Cut into squares or use a biscuit cutter to make rounds.

Remove the partially cooked filling from the oven and carefully place 6-8 biscuits on top of the tomato filling in the pan.  Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reshape and re-roll excess biscuit dough to make extra biscuits at another time, or just cook them up on the side.  (The shaped biscuit dough freezes very well.)

Return warm filling and biscuit dough to oven and bake for 17-20 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.  Tomato Cobbler is best served warm.  Reheat leftovers under the broiler (watch carefully!)


SOURCE: Joy The Baker