Tomato and peach toast, with ricotta underneath
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A ripe peach does not need to be sent straight to dessert. Beside a sharp tomato it becomes part of a savoury lunch, with ricotta softening the edges and toasted bread taking care of the juices. Choose fruit that smells good before you cut it.
For 2 light lunches, use 4 thick sourdough slices; 150g ricotta; 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; 2 ripe peaches; 200g cherry tomatoes; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 8 basil leaves; black pepper; and a small pinch of fine salt. This contains wheat and milk.
Wash the fruit and tomatoes. Cut the peaches into slim wedges, discarding their stones; halve the tomatoes. Toss both gently with oil, lemon juice and salt. Stir the ricotta with the zest and a little black pepper. Toast the bread until crisp enough to hold a wet topping, then let the steam escape for a minute.
Spread ricotta over the toast and lift the fruit mixture onto it with a slotted spoon. Finish with torn basil and another twist of pepper. Spoon over only a little of the collected juice: the rest makes a dressing for leaves alongside. Serve straight away, allowing about 15 minutes.
If your peaches are firm rather than fragrant and ripe, slice them thinly and use nectarines next time rather than trying to soften them with extra dressing. Store spare ricotta and cut fruit separately in the fridge, following their use-by and opened-pack instructions; assemble only the toasts you plan to eat.