My early Summer: Bruschetta, tapas and more tomatoes

Travelling around the mediterranean, most countries have their versions of topped toasted bread, whether tapas from Spain or bruschetta in Italy.  Going to Nice or Marseille, there are always a few cafes serving small morsels in a very similar way too.

Summer is for snacking, or at least that's what many of my friends say who really don't want to eat a full meal in the heat of high Summer in Spain, Italy, Malta or Greece.  Snacking, along with the these heady days, equals sustenance in small portions that will keep you fuelled for a hard day at the beach or the pool.  It just so happens that many of these small meals are quick and rather cheap to make too.

An easy topping for Bruschetta is chopped tomatoes, chopped capers and a little olive oil and a pinch of salt.  The Bruschetta can be as large or as small as you like (the smaller they are, canapé sized, are called Crostini in Italian) and are perfect for a night in with friends and bottle of wine.  Just make your rounds of toast, sprinkle with good olive oil, and brush with a clove of garlic and top with the tomato mixture.  I normally grind a little black pepper just before serving.

If you want a little bite, add some chilli flakes or add some hot or smoked paprika.

If you have the time, other toppings are a sure way to get your friends attention by arranging them on a platter in an alternate pattern.  One of my other popular toppings are baked aubergine.  Halve the aubergine, sprinkle with olive oil and a scattering of sea salt, and bake in a medium oven for 30/35 minutes.  Spoon out the centres, the resultant pulp will need a little rough chopping, add some dried oregano and lemon juice.  Add these to your grilled or toasted bread and some crumbled feta is a nice finishing touch.