| 1 | This recipe is based on one from the piedmont region of italy. |
| 2 | It is a traditional italian marriage of basil with tomatoes. |
| 3 | The eminent food writer jane grigson had a fine contempt for too much concern about cholesterol, so raw materials has substituted olive oil and less of it for the butter in the original recipe. |
| 4 | If you share her feelings, go for the butter. |
| 5 | Slice 1 kg of tomatoes into half-centimetre rounds. |
| 6 | Season them with a little salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar and set aside. |
| 7 | Roll out puff pastry (using frozen is fine++life is too short to make puff pastry and there is now a brand made with polyunsaturated oil) to line a 25 to 28 cm tart tin with a removable base. |
| 8 | Dip the tomato slices in cornmeal coating them on both sides, and fry them slowly in a little olive oil until golden brown. |
| 9 | Layer the slices into the pastry case. |
| 10 | Sprinkle the top with chopped basil, then with 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. |
| 11 | Sprinkle with a few drops of oil. |
| 12 | Bake in a preheated 230c oven for 15 minutes,then lower the heat to 190c and cook for a further 20 minutes or so. |
| 13 | Serve straight from the oven before the tomato juices can make the pastry soggy. |
| 14 | Makes 8 servings |
