Blistered Tomato Gnocchi with Molten Brie in One Skillet Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Gather everything before you turn on the stove, because the dish moves quickly once the gnocchi hit the pan. Set the oven rack in the upper third and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Halve the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry with paper towels so they blister instead of steaming. Peel and thinly slice the garlic.

Cube the brie with the rind removed, and grate the hard cheese on the fine side of a box grater until you have a fluffy mound. Pick the basil leaves and set some aside for the finish. Measure the dried herbs, salt and pepper, and place the cast iron skillet, a slotted spoon and oven mitts within reach of the stove. Working this way means the garlic does not overcook while you search for an ingredient.

Instructions

Build the garlic butter base

1. 1Prep the tomatoes and garlic
   Halve the cherry tomatoes with a chef's knife on a wooden board. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thinly. Cube the brie, grate the hard cheese on a box grater, and pick the basil leaves. Set everything within reach of the skillet.
   Look for Tomato halves are cut side up, garlic slices are thin and even, and the grated cheese forms a fluffy mound.
   Tip Pat the tomato halves dry so they blister instead of steaming in their own juice.
2. 2Melt the garlic butter
   Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and place a rack in the upper third. Heat the olive oil and butter in the cast iron skillet over medium heat until the butter melts and foams. Add the garlic slices and cook until fragrant and just turning pale gold.
   Look for The butter foams, then turns clear and golden, and the garlic smells sweet and nutty.
   Tip Watch the garlic closely, because it turns bitter within seconds once it browns.

The butter has melted, foamed and turned clear and golden, and the garlic slices smell sweet and nutty. The garlic should be pale gold and not brown. Before going on, check that the pan is sizzling evenly across its base, because that steady sizzle is what will crisp the gnocchi. If the garlic is browning too fast, lower the heat slightly and keep the slices moving. A quick, even sizzle now gives the gnocchi a golden base in the next phase and keeps the flavor clean and buttery rather than bitter.

Crisp the gnocchi and blister tomatoes

3. 3Toss the gnocchi in fat
   Add the gnocchi to the sizzling garlic butter and toss to coat each piece. Cook for 4 minutes without stirring too often, until the edges begin to turn golden and lightly crisp. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
   Look for The gnocchi edges turn pale golden and the pan sizzles steadily.
   Tip Leave the gnocchi undisturbed for a few minutes so the bottoms can crisp.
4. 4Blister the tomatoes
   Add the halved cherry tomatoes, cut side down, and spread them over the gnocchi. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomatoes blister and soften at the edges, then stir gently to combine.
   Look for Tomato skins blister and split, and the halves look soft and glossy.
   Tip Use a wide skillet so the tomatoes sit in one layer and char rather than stew.
5. 5Scatter the cheese and herbs
   Scatter the brie cubes and the grated hard cheese over the pan. Sprinkle the dried Italian herbs and tuck the whole basil leaves between the gnocchi, keeping some leaves on top for later.
   Look for Brie cubes and grated cheese cover the pan in an even layer with basil leaves scattered throughout.
   Tip Keep the brie in cubes rather than slices so it melts into soft pockets.

The gnocchi edges are pale golden and lightly crisp, and the cherry tomato halves have blistered, split and softened at the edges. Their juices should be starting to thicken and glisten in the butter.

Before going on, make sure the gnocchi are in a single layer with some space around them, since crowding will cause steaming instead of browning. Stir gently, so that the tomatoes stay mostly in halves and the gnocchi keep their shape. A pan that smells of toasted garlic, butter and roasted tomato is ready for the cheese.

Melt the cheese and bake golden

6. 6Bake until molten and golden
   Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese melts into a bubbling, golden layer, the tomatoes burst and char at the edges, and the gnocchi turn crisp and lightly browned. Let the skillet rest for 3 minutes before serving.
   Look for Cheese bubbles across the surface with golden spots, and tomatoes have split and charred at the edges.
   Tip Use oven mitts, since the cast iron handle stays very hot after baking.
7. 7Finish and serve from the skillet
   Top the skillet with the reserved basil leaves and an extra sprinkle of grated hard cheese. Serve straight from the skillet while the cheese is still molten, lifting pillowy bites with a fork.
   Look for Basil leaves look bright green and the cheese stretches when lifted with a fork.
   Tip Serve immediately, since the crisp gnocchi soften as the skillet cools.

The brie and grated hard cheese have melted into a bubbling, golden layer, and the tomatoes have burst and charred in places. The gnocchi look crisp and lightly browned at the top. Before going on, check that the cheese has spread evenly and that no pale patches remain, and let the skillet rest for 3 minutes so the cheese sets slightly. The finished pan should smell rich and nutty, with bubbling cheese at the edges and glossy tomatoes throughout. Lift a bite with a fork to confirm that the center is creamy and warm.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is crowding the skillet, which steams the gnocchi and leaves them pale and soft. Use a 10-inch skillet and let the gnocchi sit in a single layer for a few minutes before stirring. Another frequent problem is burning the garlic, which happens quickly once the butter is hot.

Add the garlic when the butter has melted and foamed, and lower the heat if slices start to darken. Cooks also often add the basil too early, where it turns dark and loses its fresh flavor, so reserve some leaves for the finish. Finally, skipping the rest after baking can cause the cheese to run off the gnocchi when you serve, so wait a few minutes before digging in.

How to tell it’s done

The dish is done when the cheese has melted completely into a bubbling, golden layer across the surface, the cherry tomatoes have burst and charred at the edges, and the gnocchi look crisp and lightly browned. A fork should lift a pillowy, molten bite with a creamy, glossy pull of brie.

Gnocchi should be tender inside and golden outside, without raw, floury centers. This dish contains no raw meat, poultry or fish, so no internal temperature check is needed. Bake the skillet until the cheese bubbles across the whole surface, and then take it from the oven. A quick look at the top and edges is the most reliable signal.