2 pounds cherry tomatoes, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise (4 cups)
2 large shallots, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Armanino Basil Pesto
Biscuits
2 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter, grated on the large holes of a box grater
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup cornmeal
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of kosher salt
½ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Armanino Basil Pesto
Directions
Position an oven rack at the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater then place back in the freezer until needed.
Lightly oil a 9” deep dish pie pan or baking dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the halved cherry tomatoes, chopped shallots, garlic, fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and a good pinch each of salt and pepper.
Add the olive oil and basil pesto and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, cover with a piece of foil and bake for 15 minutes while you make the biscuits.
In a clean bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the biscuits – flour, cornmeal, parmesan, baking powder, baking soda and a good pinch of salt.
Add the grated butter from the freezer and toss to coat.
In a small bowl, lightly beat together the buttermilk, egg and basil pesto.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined into a moist dough and no dry bits remain. If the tomatoes haven’t finished their initial bake, put the biscuit mixture in the refrigerator until needed.
Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly on top of the cherry tomatoes, each about a generous 1/8 cup. Leave a little space between the biscuits as they will expand during baking.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the biscuits are golden and cooked through and the tomatoes have softened.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly before serving.
Chef’s Tips
Serve as a vegetarian main course with a salad or as a side with grilled chicken, steak or kebabs.
While the recipe calls for cherry tomatoes though full size tomatoes – chopped – will work well too. Core and cut into roughly 1 – ½” chunks. It’s ideal for those less than perfect, bruised or soft tomatoes.
