Eggplant Parmesan Bites - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sea salt (such as Diamond Crystal(R)), divided
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 teaspoon olive oil, or more as needed
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
24 pita chips, or more to taste
24 cherry tomatoes, or more to taste
24 basil leaves, or more to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over eggplant rounds in colander; allow to drain at least 30 minutes. Rinse salt off the eggplant.
Spread bread crumbs into a shallow bowl and beat egg in a separate bowl. Dip eggplant into egg, allowing excess egg to drip off the eggplant; press into bread crumbs until eggplant slices are evenly coated on both sides.
Arrange coated eggplant on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Mix remaining 1 teaspoon salt with ricotta cheese in a bowl. Spoon ricotta cheese mixture onto each eggplant.
Bake eggplant in the oven until cheese is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Place 1 eggplant slice onto each pita chip; top with a cherry tomato and basil leaf.