Tomato Cobbler with Basil Butter Biscuits
A juicy, jammy tomato and mozzarella cobbler, topped with mile-high basil-scented buttermilk biscuits. Grab a glass of white wine and enjoy the best of what’s around this summer.Â
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
3 to 4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced or 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or do a mix of tomatoes – whatever you like)
1.5 cups small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) or one 8-oz. ball mozzarella, thinly sliced
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, for serving (optional)
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For the Biscuits
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3.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
16 TBSP unsalted butter, grated (2 sticks)
1 cup plus 2 TBSP buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
1 heaping TBSP basil paste (found in your grocer’s cold produce section)Â
Instructions
- Begin by making the biscuits. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and adjust your rack to the middle position.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well mixed. Add in the grated butter and, using your hands or a pastry blender, mix the butter into the dry ingredients until well-incorporated and the mixture is shaggy and holds together when you press some between your fingers. Add the 1 cup + 2 TBSP buttermilk and the basil paste, and stir until a dough forms. If you need a little more buttermilk to help it come together, that’s fine.Â
- Transfer the dough to a clean, flat, flour-dusted work surface. Pat and shape it into a rectangle that’s about ¾-inch-thick. Using a knife, cut the dough in half. Stack one half on top of the other half and then smash the stack down, creating another ¾-inch-thick rectangle.Â
- From this, cut your biscuits. You can use a round biscuit cutter or just cut rectangular/square biscuits with a knife. Make them as big or small as you like. I usually opt for 9 big, square biscuits. Place the biscuits in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Place your sliced tomatoes and mozzarella into a large baking dish with deep sides. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. You only want to fill the dish about halfway, as the tomatoes will release a TON of juice as they roast, so you don’t want it to spill over much. Toss everything to mix. Top with the biscuits. Brush the biscuits with a little buttermilk and sprinkle with some salt.Â
- Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the biscuits are wonderfully, fantastically golden brown. If they start to darken around the edges before they’re done in the middles, just lay a big piece of foil on top of the cobbler and let it finish baking that way.Â
- Let the cobbler sit for about 10 minutes before serving; this will settles the juices down. Top with fresh basil, if desired.
Keywords: Tomato Cobbler