Weekly Recipe #78: Tomato Cobbler

By Jeanne Foels, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator

I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the bounty of tomatoes in my kitchen, so I decided to give this new recipe a try. I love sweet cobblers, but I'd never encountered a savory one! I was happily surprised by the biscuit-like topping and lovely roasted tomato taste -- this recipe's a keeper in my book.

Use the most locally sourced and flavorful tomatoes you can find to star in this dish. Since you can serve this cobbler at room temperature, it's a great choice for a summer potluck.

Tomato Cobbler
Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman
(Makes 6-8 servings)

Butter for the baking dish
3 lbs. ripe tomatoes ( 8-10 medium), cored and cut into wedges
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into large pieces
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more if needed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Grease a square baking dish or a deep pie plate with the butter. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Put the tomato wedges in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and some salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
3. Put the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and teaspoon of salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Add the egg, buttermilk, cheddar and basil and pulse a few times more, until the mixture comes together in a ball. If the mixture doesn't come together, add a spoonful or two of flour. If the mixture is too dry, add a few drops of buttermilk.
5. Gently toss the tomato mixture again and spread it in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drop small spoonfuls of the batter on top and smooth a bit with a knife. Try to leave some gaps so that the steam from the tomato mixture can escape as the cobble bakes.
6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden on top and bubbly underneath. Cool to just barely warm or room temperature. To serve, scoop servings out with a large spoon.