Italian fave great on grill

Eggplant parmigiana is easy vegetarian barbecue fare

This little gem combines my love of grilling with my endless search for new summer vegetarian entrees.

Eggplant parmigiana, that staple of Italian cuisine, is wonderful on the grill, cooking up quickly and cleanly. Grilling this dish requires less oil than the traditional recipe and imparts a delicious smokiness.

You can buy eggplants in any size, but for this recipe you want one of those big old-fashioned beauties. Make sure its skin is smooth and its flesh is firm. That’s how you’ll know it’s fresh.

Cut the eggplant into rounds about 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick. A thinner slice would buckle under the weight of the tomatoes and crumbs.

The slices are grilled over direct heat, so they pick up a lovely char.

Instead of traditional tomato sauce, I went with fresh tomatoes for a more summery taste.

Salting the eggplant and tomatoes makes them less watery and more deeply flavoured.

Serving traditional eggplant parmigiana can be messy. Here, the presentation is nice and neat.

GRILLED EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Start to finish: 1 hour Makes: 4 servings 1 large eggplant Kosher salt 3/4 lb (340 g) plum or small round tomatoes 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing on the eggplant 1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) red pepper flakes (optional) 1/2 cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs 1 1/2 oz (43 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese 6 oz (170 g) mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated Fresh basil, shredded, to garnish 1. Peel the eggplant, then slice it crosswise into 3/4-inch (2-cm) thick rounds. Salt both sides of each slice, then set the slices aside for 45 minutes.

2. Slice the tomatoes crosswise into 1/3-inch (1-cm) thick rounds. Salt both sides of each slice and transfer the slices to a rack to drain until the eggplant is ready.

3. Prepare a grill for medium heat, direct and indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, this means banking the hot coals to one side of the grill. For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, combine the oil and garlic. Cook, stirring, until quite fragrant. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and panko. Increase the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until the crumbs turn golden, for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the Parmesan cheese, then set aside.

5. Pat the eggplant slices dry and brush one side of each slice with olive oil. Add to the grill and cook over the hotter side until the slices are nicely browned on the bottoms, for 5 to 6 minutes. Brush the top sides with more oil, turn the slices over and grill until browned on the second side, about another 5 minutes. While the eggplant is grilling, pat dry the tomato slices.

6. Transfer the eggplant slices to the cooler side of the grill, then top each slice with enough tomato slices to just cover the top. Top the tomatoes with 2 tbsp (30 mL) panko mixture, then divide the mozzarella evenly among the slices. Cover the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted. Transfer 2 slices to each of 4 plates and top each portion with some of the basil.