Eggplant Parmesan Bites

A bite-size version of one of my favorite entrees. It’s eggplant Parmesan you can eat while standing up! Serve warm or room temperature.

Original recipe makes 24 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sea salt (such as Diamond Crystal®), 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

PREP

30 mins
COOK

15 mins
READY IN

1 hr 15 mins

Directions

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.