Instructions: Slice the tomatoes if large into 5 mm thick slices and lay them in an attractive pattern in a shallow china dish.

If using cherry tomatoes halve these and place in the same sort of container.

Drizzle the pesto dressing over the tomatoes and leave to marinate for at least half an hour (up to 2 or 3 hours in the fridge is fine).

Garnish with a few basil leaves and serve with crusty bread.

This salad is dressed with pesto sauce a speciality of that bit of the Mediterranean that runs from Nice in France down to Genoa in Italy. Its made with slight variations along the coast. All versions however share a particular affinity to tomatoes as does the basic herb basil.

Serves 4 as a starter

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