Friday, August 26, 2011

tomato pie thing

Only because Ms. Ashley took the photo and implored with those lovely blue eyes and dimples, here is the recipe to yester evening's tomato pie.  And a Good Thing should be shared to no end. Ms. Elspeth, are you out there? Here is what we enjoyed last night, with thoughts of you! We missed you!

Tomato Pie Thing (adapted from this recipe here)

Filling:

extra-virgin olive oil
4 small white onions, thinly sliced
2 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pints of cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper



Biscuit topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Coarse salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup your favorite local cheese, grated, plus a little more for sprinkling
1 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup milk or cream

Make the filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Toss onion mixture, tomatoes, flour, and red-pepper flakes with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Make the biscuit topping: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in cheese, then add buttermilk & milk/cream, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine until dough forms. (Dough will be sticky.)
Transfer tomato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish (2 inches deep). Spoon 7 clumps of biscuit dough (about 1/2 cup each) over top in a circle, leaving center open. Brush dough with cream (optional) and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake until tomatoes are bubbling in the center and biscuits are golden brown, about 45 minutes to an hour. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool & serve.
Mmm. For some reason, I think this dish begs a cold glass of milk.

listen to: "Wreckage" by Jolie Holland
read: The Oxford American Magazine

2 comments:

  1. It's like a tomato cobbler.... Looks AMAZING! And the Oxford American is much worth reading, although all the copies I have my hands on are from a few years ago. They are still wonderful, there is a story about persimmons in one that I particularly love

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  2. Man, I'm hungry just looking! I'm glad Ashley implored you with those blue eyes- she could get anything she wanted with em. And I'm better for seeing this and having the recipe. Oddly enough, Shane has a photo in the Oxford American this month. So you really should check it out-- it looks great. I've been listening to some great old-time radio shows here, Laura, and thinking of you all the while. I haven't sung anything in a few weeks- maybe some of the ballads we learned would come in handy about now!

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