Yesterday I decided to cook us lunch, from scratch. I had found an intriguing recipe and also have four dolls sized virgin bread tins that I have been aching to use for some time.

Facing a glut of tomatoes in the fridge I’d grazed several cookery books and the recipe that caught my eye was deep within in The Silver Spoon. This book is said to be Italy’s best selling recipe book for the past 50 years. It was translated from Italian two years ago. It is a hefty 1200 page recipe book and due to its size makes a handy step for reaching things on the top shelf of the larder. It is also packed with recipes and inspiration. When Veronica, who writes the excellent La Recette du Jour pointed out that a good Italian cook book is a great source of vegetarian recipes it was heaved back to its proper place beside the other cookbooks in an instant.

The dish that caught my eye was Rustic Tomato Pie. Using a bread topping as well as a base these were oven baked tartines with knobs on. Somehow the combination of rustic and tartines intrigued me, I imagined thick set Italian farmers opening large lunch boxes and scoffing delicate double tartines. In its most basic form a tartine involves ingredients arranged on a slice of bread.

Perhaps it was down to the dinky bread tins but these diminutive concoctions were to die for. We each ate one straight from the oven. Today I decided to try one cold. The plan was to leave the other for Danny (away on business) but I couldn’t resist a slice of his one and before I knew it, there was only a mouthful left. So I’m ashamed to say, I polished it off too.

They are so quick and easy to make that I can run up another four before he can even mouth the words tomato tartine.

Hot they make an unusual and elegant vegetarian starter. The bread, cheese and egg combination transmogrified into something stunning, somehow bringing out the best of the ingredients. The bread was no longer bread as we know it. The spring onions and tomato filling was rich, intense and succulent.

Cold, these would dazzle on a picnic. Having never been to Glyndebourne I sometimes dream about the perfect hamper. These would be a superb addition to this fantasy or a great surprise in a lunch box for your very best friend.

The Silver Spoon recipe was baked in a standard bread tin. Using 12 slices of wholemeal bread, 3 spring onions, 500g of tomatoes, and oregano. It used just one egg and a quarter of a pint of milk. The bread tin was topped with 50g of pecorino cheese.

The contents of my fridge demanded a change in the balance of ingredients and used mixed Italian herbs and cheddar cheese. My 4 baby bread tins measure 6cmx4cm.

Double tomato tartines recipe (4 individual pies)

Ingredients:

• 3-4 slices of white bread (thick sliced, slightly stale)
• A bunch (6-7) of small spring onions sliced into the green tips
• 6-8 small tomatoes sliced
• 4 pinches of mixed Italian herbs
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• A handful of finely grated cheddar cheese (I tried Gruyere on one, it didn’t work nearly so well)
• Ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• Half a clove of garlic (chopped fine)

Method:

Set the oven to 180c (160c fan)

1. Sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
2. Meanwhile grease the tins well and line the bases with bread.
3. Divide the softened spring onions between the 4 tins cover with a layer of sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle a pinch of mixed herbs in each tin and a dash of ground black pepper.
4. Cover the filling with a slice of bread.
5. Whisk the eggs and milk well and spoon onto the tins. Scatter over the cheese topping.
6. Place the tins on a baking tray and put on the top shelf of the oven. Bake until the cheese topping is golden brown (20 minutes or so). Leave to cool slightly before turning out. Serve upside down.

I spotted them a few evenings later, looking less than their best so I snapped off the tops and made these savoury tarts. Perhaps it was desperation to get the best possible return on the small harvest that made things move up a gear in the cottage smallholder kitchen. Or possibly the fact that Danny had left a tempting tub of ricotta and a large firm unwaxed lemon in the fridge. There is no need to pre bake the pastry cases before you add the filling.

Simple, delicate and chic – I wolfed one immediately and haven’t missed a day without an asparagus tart fix since then.

Great served on a bed of fresh rocket with a drizzle of really good olive oil.

Asparagus and ricotta tarts sprinkled with lemon zest and parmesan recipe (6 individual tarts)

Ingredients:

• Asparagus tips (about twelve)
• 250g tub of ricotta
• 2 large eggs
• 60 g of finely grated parmesan
• 225g of short crust pastry (I made mine in the Magimix using Anne Mary’s recipe)
• Zest of a large unwaxed lemon (this will seem like a lot)
• Pinch of salt and lashings of ground white pepper.
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Method:

1. Roll out the pastry and cut to fit the individual tins. My cutter is slightly too small so produces small saucer shaped tarts. Put the tins in the fridge to chill for ten minutes.
2. Meanwhile toss the asparagus tips into boiling water and simmer for 4 minutes or until just cooked. Plunge asparagus into cold water.
3. Beat the eggs and stir into the ricotta cheese. Add a pinch of salt and at least half a tsp of ground white pepper.
4. Cut off the tips of the asparagus and slice the remaining stems.
5. Arrange the stems in the pie tins and spoon over the ricotta and egg mixture. Arrange the asparagus tips on the top of each tart. Divide the lemon zest and scatter over the tarts. Sprinkle the finely grated Parmesan cheese over the tarts and arrange the tins on a baking try.
6. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven 200c (fan 180c) for 15 minutes. Turn the tray and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until glden brown. Allow to stand in the tins for five minutes before turning out onto a cooling tray.

A great way of using up a glut of eggs as well as being true instant comfort food. If you are prepared, a tasty frittata will be on the table in 20 minutes. (If Someone Else lays the table, polishes the glasses, prepares the salad and opens the wine).

Last week I was determined to use up the last of a giant pack of spinach and wanted to play with the proposed frittata. I fried the beast in the fat of some of our home cured bacon, having added the bacon, spinach and squares of matured cheddar to the whisked eggs. The customary potatoes were laid on top with a scatter of cheddar.

Danny was silent when he sampled it.
“Well, what do you think?”
He looked up and smiled as he cut another slice.
“Your best frittata ever.”

Spinach, bacon, cheese, eggs. Traditional and delicious.

Indulgent spinach, bacon, cheese and potato frittata recipe

Ingredients:

• 100g of lardons (we used home cured ones, chopped streaky bacon slices will do at a pinch)
• 2-3 medium potatoes, peeled, sliced and cooked until soft
• 2-3 tblsps of chopped parsley
• 6 large eggs
• 200g of spinach
• 50g of mature cheddar cheese (cut into squares)
• 15g of grated mature cheddar (topping)
• 2 tblsp of olive oil
• 1 fat garlic clove (chopped very fine)
• Good twist of ground black pepper

Method:

1. Fry the bacon lardons in the olive oil until crispish (soft on the inside, browned on the outside). Peel and cook the potatoes. When the bacon slices are ready, set them aside. Meanwhile prepare the other ingredients.
2. Wash and wilt your spinach (the wash water will cling to the leaves.) Pop into a large saucepan (lid on) for 2-3 minutes until they wilt. Remove, wash with cold water and strain in a colander.
3. Chop your cheese, whisk the 6 eggs with a fork and chop your herbs and add them to the eggs along with the other ingredients.
4. Heat the bacon infused olive oil gently in a large sauté pan. Add the finely chopped garlic. When the oil is hot and the garlic golden pour the beaten egg (with the chopped cheese, bacon, spinach and herbs) into the sauté pan. Immediately turn the heat down to the lowest setting. After a mnute or so arrange the cooked potato slices over the top, sprinkle the grated cheddar and leave for 15 minutes. Do nothing. Set the timer for 12 minutes!
5. When the timer goes off set your grill to the highest setting so that it will be sizzling when you transfer the frittata from stove top. Finish under the high grill for 30 – 60 seconds.
6. Serve immediately with a crisp green salad. And some good table wine.