Brunch Bread

Fresh bread of choice
olive oil
1 large aubergine
4 large fleshy tomatoes
1 mozzarella cheese
fresh basil
Maldon salt and freshly ground pepper

Slice the aubergine thinly. Core and slice the tomatoes. Slice the mozzarella thinly (you may need only half) and tear the basil leaves.

Preheat your oven to 150C.

Heat some olive oil in a pan and saute the aubergine slices and place them in dish in the oven as you go (on paper towels if you wish).

Slice or split the bread and toast it under a grill when you get towards the end of cooking the aubergine.

Put a little more oil in the pan and quickly fry the tomato slices. Keep them firm. Just heat them through.

Arrange the toasted bread on a tray and spread the aubergine over the top, then the tomatoe slices. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with the mozzarella and sprinkle over the ripped basil leaves.

Serve immediately.

If the bread and toppings are good and hot, the mozzarella will melt over them. But you can give the bread a couple of minutes in the oven if you wish - in which case put it on an oven tray.