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1
Well ahead, ideally the day before, prepare the roast tomatoes.
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2
Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1.
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3
Halve the tomatoes and arrange on a wire rack.
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4
Brush well with olive oil, season with salt and drop a slice of garlic on top of each tomato half.
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5
Put in the oven and cook for 3 hours, or simply switch off the oven and leave the tomatoes in it overnight.
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6
At least an hour before you want to serve, make the pastry.
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7
In a food processor, pulse the flour, a pinch of salt and the butter together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
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8
Add the cheese and pepper to taste, and pulse again briefly to mix.
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9
Then, bit by bit, add just enough cold water to bring it to a smooth malleable dough.
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10
Roll it into a ball, cover with clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
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11
To prepare the basil pesto, simply mix all the ingredients together in a food processor.
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12
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
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13
Roll the chilled pastry out to a large rectangle and use to line four 5cm [2in) tartlet tins.
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14
Don't trim the edges, but fold them over so they can be trimmed after initial baking.
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15
Prick the bases lightly with a fork.
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16
Line the pastry cases with baking paper, weight with baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes.
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17
Remove the beans and lining paper and trim the pastry edges.
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18
[Leave the oven on.]
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19
Put three tomato halves in each tartlet spread with basil pesto and topped with slices of mozzarella.
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20
Bake for 10 minutes.
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21
While the tartlets are baking, prepare the asparagus.
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22
Blanch the stalks by dipping them in and out of a large pan of boiling water, then refresh in cold water and pat dry.
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23
Make a dressing by mixing the olive oil with the lemon juice and seasoning to taste.
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24
Use to dress the asparagus stalks.
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25
Serve the tartlets warm or cold, each one topped with two asparagus stalks and perhaps a sprig of basil, set on a bed of wild rocket mixed with chervil leaves.
