Serves 8
Brie does not get the love it deserves. And before you turn the page, please, puleeease, just try baking it. It’s the gooiest, cheese-pull-of-your-dreams, melty deliciousness you will ever have, and when you pair it with garlic bread and tomato jam, it’s a totally over-the-top experience.
Tomato Jam
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garlic Knot Crown
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 recipe All-Purpose Pizza Dough
1 (7-ounce) wheel of Brie or Camembert
1 To make the jam: In a small saucepan, combine the tomatoes, white wine, thyme, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are broken down and the mixture is jammy.
2 While the tomato jam cooks, prepare the garlic knot crown: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, and salt and stir for 1 minute, until the garlic is softened (do not brown). Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.
3 Divide the pizza dough into eight 3-ounce balls (I like to use a kitchen scale for this). On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 9-inch rope and twist it into a loose knot. Brush a 10-inch round oven-safe baking dish with some of the garlic herb butter and place the Brie in the center. Brush the knots generously with garlic butter and place them around the cheese so that they are lightly touching each other. Cover the baking dish with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 20 minutes, until puffed.
4 While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F. Once the dough is done rising, brush with more garlic butter and bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, until browned.
5 Remove from the oven and brush again with any remaining garlic butter. Top the Brie with the tomato jam and serve immediately.