Plant-Based Asparagus & Almond Pesto Galette

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/gas 7

Boil a kettle

Crush your garlic open by squashing with the side of a knife and discard the skins

Cut your lemon[s] in half

Wash your spinach, then add to a colander and pour boiled water all over it so that it starts to wilt

Rinse the wilted spinach under cold running water until it's cool, and once cool, squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can – this is your blanched spinach

Add the blanched spinach and half the peeled garlic (you'll use the rest later!) to a food processor with your basil, ground almonds and the juice of half the lemon[s]

Add a very generous pinch of salt and a generous drizzle of olive oil and blitz until smooth – this is your almond pesto

Chop (or grate) the remaining garlic finely

Combine the chopped garlic with your tomato paste in a bowl with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt – this is your tomato sauce

Peel lengths off your courgette[s] with a peeler until you end up with a pile of courgette ribbons, then dice the remaining inner stem[s]

Trim the woody ends off your asparagus

Line the baking tray[s] with baking paper

Dust your work surface with a generous sprinkling of flour, unwrap your puff pastry and roll it out to approx 0.5cm thickness with a rolling pin

Add the rolled pastry to the tray[s] and prick it all over with a fork (this will stop it getting a soggy bottom!)

Spread the tomato sauce over the pastry, leaving a 2cm round border

Top with the courgette ribbons and diced courgette, then spread over the almond pesto

Lay the asparagus top to tail over the pesto and season with a pinch of salt and pepper then twist the pastry border over the edge of the filling (start from one corner and work around in one direction, overlapping the pastry each time)

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 25-30 min or until the pastry is golden and cooked through and the edges have puffed up – this is your asparagus, courgette & almond pesto galette

Meanwhile, wash your salad, then pat dry with kitchen paper

Combine the juice of the remaining lemon in a bowl with a little drizzle of olive oil and your chopped dates – this is your lemon & date vinaigrette