Serves 6
FOR THE PASTRY

• 375g flour, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 225g butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• A little ice-cold water

FOR THE FILLING

• 100g red pepper pesto
• 250g crème fraîche
• 5g fresh chives, chopped
• Grated zest of 1 large lemon
• 6 Roma tomatoes, peeled, quartered and seeded
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves to serve

1 For the pastry: Place the flour and salt into a food processor, blitz for 10 seconds, add the butter and egg yolk and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add the water until a ball forms. Remove and shape pastry into a round disc, cover with clingwrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2 Preheat the oven to 160°C. Roll the pastry out onto a flat surface, cut out six 13cm rounds, press the pastry into the bases and up the sides of six 10cm tart shells. Place on a baking tray, cover each one with baking paper and fill with baking beans, bake for 10 minutes, remove paper and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3 In a bowl, mix together the pesto, crème fraîche, zest and chives, season. Fill each tart base with the mixture, top with tomato, sprinkle with sugar, drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
4 To serve: Top the warm tarts with fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Words and image: Fairlady magazine