Savory Tomato & Thyme Crumble

BY Haley Hazell
August 23, 2021

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Photography by Haley Hazel for Edible San Diego

Take everything you love about a summer crumble but make it with tomatoes

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This summer side dish is inspired by the season’s hottest dessert (literally)—the fruit crumble. I swap summer berries and stone fruit for peak season cherry tomatoes, garlic, and fresh thyme. The crumble topping gets a savory spin with parmesan and loads of black pepper.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 stick of cold, unsalted butter

FILLING:

2 pints cherry and/or sungold tomatoes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
10–12 basil leaves
2–3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°
Make the crumble topping by mixing flour, Parmigiano-Reggiano, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Slice the cold stick of butter into 10 pieces and then add to the flour mixture. Toss the slices of butter in flour, then flatten them into the flour using the tips of your fingers.
Continue working the butter and flour until you have pea-sized clumps. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice cold water and continue to gently work until a dough forms.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. To make the filling, use a paring knife to halve the tomatoes.
Toss halved tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl with cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, red wine vinegar, torn basil leaves, and sliced garlic.
Pour the filling into a 9’’ x 13’’ baking dish or a 10’’ cast-iron dish. Using your fingers, crumble the dough and scatter it over the filling.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes until the crumble topping is golden brown and the tomato filling is bubbling around the edges.

Haley Hazell

As a freelance food stylist, visual designer and recipe developer, for Haley it is all about balance – balancing careers, tastes and textures. Haley attended culinary school at San Francisco Cooking School and recently relocated to San Diego, where she is getting to know this amazing county one taco shop at a time. She loves to cook and eat with the seasons, letting the amazing peak produce from her local farmers market inspire her recipe writing. To her, simple and delicious recipes start with quality ingredients and end with full bellies and plates licked clean. You can follow her work on Instagram at @haley.hazell