Tomatoes & Lardo on Toast

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 50g basil
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced (we love Isle of Wight Tomatoes)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 slices sourdough
• ½ clove garlic
• 12 thin slices lardo

Method

1. Blanch the basil for 10 seconds in a pan of boiling water then plunge straight into iced water.
2. Leave for 5 minutes, drain and squeeze well.
3. Put the drained basil in a food processor with the sunflower oil and a pinch of salt, and whizz for 5 minutes until very smooth.
4. Line a colander, over a bowl, with muslin and pour in the oil.
5. Gather up the edges, tie in a knot and hang over the bowl for 1-2 hours – we hang it over our kitchen sink, using the tap to suspend it.
6. Put the tomatoes, 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, the red wine vinegar and some seasoning in a bowl, mix and leave for an hour at room temperature.
7. Toast the sourdough slices and rub with the half clove of garlic.
8. Top with the tomatoes, a good drizzle of the basil oil and the lardo slices.
9. Blowtorch the lardo, or put under a hot grill, to lightly melt.