Growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta as the youngest of five kids, I was immersed in my family’s ancestral food traditions, rich with recipes passed down orally through six generations. One of the most treasured is our peach cobbler, a treat that my mom prepared on summer weekends with me nearby helping mix the dough and gobbling up the velvety fruit skins as she peeled them away.
The Best Fruit Cobbler You've Never Had
It's juicy and buttery—and made with high-summer tomatoes.
By Published May 17, 2022
Sign up for the Cook's Insider newsletter
The latest recipes, tips, and tricks, plus behind-the-scenes stories from the Cook's Illustrated team.
America's Test Kitchen will not sell, rent, or disclose your email address to third parties unless otherwise notified. Your email address is required to identify you for free access to content on the site. You will also receive free newsletters and notification of America's Test Kitchen specials.
My family’s method calls for precooking chunks of fruit with sugar and spices until they just soften, thickening the filling with cornstarch, transferring it to a baking dish, and laying pie pastry on top before sliding the assembly into the oven. I adore the way the flaky pie crust complements the soft, plump fruit, its buttery crumb mellowing out the sweetness and tang. The recipe is as steeped in history as it gets, and I wanted to apply our knowledge to a much more recent invention: savory tomato cobbler, a luscious main- or side-dish twist on the sweet dessert.
Seasonings for Tomato Cobbler
I started with the seasonings: Minced garlic and a spoonful of tomato paste sizzled in olive oil provided depth; fresh thyme added an herbal touch that steered clear of marinara territory; and salt, pepper, and sugar focused the flavors. After coating 2 pounds of chopped tomatoes in this garlicky-tomatoey base, I stirred in a slurry of 1 tablespoon of water and 21/2 teaspoons of cornstarch, enough to give the filling body without making it jam-like.
The Best Vessel for Baking
For convenience (and a homey look), I left the filling in the skillet instead of moving it to a baking dish to receive the pie dough topping. After some tinkering, I landed on an unusual treatment for the dough to account for the fact that tomatoes tend to bake up more liquid-y than peaches: I rolled a small batch of our all-butter pie dough into a round and cut it into six tidy wedges that I brushed with an egg wash and arranged on the filling with gaps between each wedge and around the edge of the skillet. As the cobbler bubbled in the oven, the crust turned golden and delicately crisp. The spaces around the wedges promoted evaporation and concentration of the abundant juice, which gave the filling a scoopable texture.
I tucked into a warm, inviting portion graced with a dollop of tangy sour cream. The seventh generation of the Turner family is in for a treat.
Skillet Tomato Cobbler
My Southern roots guided me toward a savory tomato cobbler that tastes like home.Get the Recipe
10,000+ foolproof recipes and why they work Taste Tests of supermarket ingredients Equipment Reviews save you money and time Videos including full episodes and clips Live Q&A with Test Kitchen experts
Start Free TrialAbsolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!
Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.
Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!
John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.