Instructions: Slice the aubergine into thin slices lengthways.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss in a little oil and turn into the large roasting tin.

Put on the floor of the roasting oven for about 2 minutes on each side.

Remove and drain the aubergines on kitchen paper.

Add the mushrooms fennel and onion together to the roasting tin and return to the floor of the roasting oven for a further 5 minutes.

Remove a little of the soft dough from the ciabatta and spread each inside with a tablespoon of pesto.

Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing seasoning with salt and pepper and sprinkle a little over the base half of the loaf.

Layer the aubergine mushroom fennel and onion snipped sundried tomato and slices of brie on the base half of the ciabatta sprinkling seasoning and dressing between the layers until all the dressing and vegetables are used.

Put the top half on to the loaf and press down firmly.

Wrap very tightly in dingfilm and with foil.

Weight down in the fridge for a minimum of 40 minutes.

Remove clingfilm and foil.

Rehear in the roasting tin nn the second set of runners in the roasting oven for about 10 minutes until crisp and warm right through.

Serve in slices with a green salad.

This is a wonderful dish for lunch or to eat outside. The secret of its success is to weight it down in the fudge otherwise the filling is prone to fall out. It can be eaten cold but is much better warm. It is crunchy too. Use coarsely grated gruyere instead of brie if you prefer. Never throw away any dough that you remove from the ciabatta here or any other bread. Freeze it then use in stuffings and bread sauce or dry (good in the warming oven of a four oven aga or simmering oven for a shorter time) to use as a breadcrumb coating.

Serves 4

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