Roasted pepper tart

Method

1. Grease and line a 20cm/8in tart tin. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7.

2. For the tart: lightly oil a baking tray and place the peppers cut-side down on top. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the peppers on a low shelf in the oven and cook for ten minutes, then turn the tray around and cook for a further ten minutes. By this stage, the skins of the peppers may be sufficiently wrinkled but should not be charred or shrunken.

3. Lower the oven temperature to 200C/gas mark 6. Remove the peppers from the oven, place them in a bowl and cover with cling film. After a few minutes, the steaming effect will allow you to slip the skins off easily.

4. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the butter to a hot frying pan. Add the onions and fry over a low heat for 15 minutes, or until softened and beginning to caramelise. Remove from the heat.

5. Arrange half of the roasted peppers in the base of the tin, pointing towards the centre and alternating red, yellow and orange slices. Sprinkle one-third of the basil leaves over the peppers. Repeat with the remaining peppers and more basil leaves, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6. Place the tomato halves on top of the peppers, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with the remaining basil leaves. Finally, spread the cooked onions over the top.

7. Cut out a circle of puff pastry just a little bit larger than the tin. Place this on top of the onions, tucking in the edges.

8. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush lightly over the pastry. Cut little holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape, then cook in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and crisp.

9. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes, before turning the tart out onto a large serving plate. Serve warm or cold, with the mixed salad leaves and a sprinkling of parmesan shavings on the side.