"Heritage tomatoes are delicious. They aren't cheap, but that’s ok as they really are exceptional paired with crowdie—a soft, slightly granular cheese. This dish is a perfect light starter if you’re serving something rich and heavy as a main course. The croutons add crunch, and the pesto adds texture. Try playing with different cheeses in your pesto; we recently enjoyed using a cheese from Berkshire called Spenwood."

Serves 4
10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 tablespoons crowdie

Around 6 or 7 different varieties of tomatoes, or home-grown

A small handful of fresh basil

A few lightly-toasted pine nuts, or hazelnuts

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or a good British hard cheese, even a good cheddar is fine

2 cloves garlic, peeled

250ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the croutons

A few thyme leavesGood salt and pepperSome stale bread, ideally a loaf from the previous day

A few salad leaves and slices of radish

METHOD

Heat the oven to 165°C.

Begin by making the croutons. Slice the stale bread into wafer-thin shards, and trickle with some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, a few thyme leaves and bake on an oven tray for around 20 minutes until just crisp. Allow to cool. 

Next, make the pesto by placing the nuts, cheese, oil and garlic in a liquidiser and blitzing for a few seconds. Add the basil leaves and continue to whizz for a few more seconds. I sometimes use a pestle and mortar to make pesto.

Remove the eyes from the tomatoes and cut them into slices and arrange on plates. Add some dollops of crowdie and trickle over some pesto. You will have some left over for another day. Arrange the shards of croutons and scatter a few salad leaves and slices of radish as a garnish. Finish with a pinch of good salt and pepper.