Bring eggplant parmigiana into warm weather with the grill

Turns out that eggplant parmigiana, that staple of Italian cuisine, is a wonderful candidate for the grill, cooking up quickly and cleanly.

[...] — bonus! — grilling this dish not only requires less oil than the traditional recipe, it ends up imparting a smokiness it could never claim before.

The slices also are salted, which deeply seasons the eggplant and eliminates excess water, amping up the taste.

Traditional eggplant parmigiana calls for tomato sauce, but here I went with fresh tomatoes to give the dish a fresher, more summery taste.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing on the eggplant

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For a gas grill, this means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side.

[...] in a medium skillet over medium-low, combine the 2 tablespoons of oil and garlic.

Nutrition information per serving: 320 calories; 160 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 18 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 30 mg cholesterol; 1000 mg sodium; 24 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 17 g protein.