Prosciutto and Tomato Bruschetta with Romano

A crowd-pleaser any time of year, this savoury appetizer is perfect for get-togethers.

8 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
¼ cup Romano cheese, freshly grated
¼ cup fresh basil, minced
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
⅛ tsp. hot pepper sauce, optional
2 (10½ oz) French bread baguettes, cut into ¼” slices

In a large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, rosemary, pepper and if desired, pepper sauce. Pour over tomato mixture; toss to coat.

Place bread slices on ungreased baking sheets. Broil 3-4” from heat or until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, top each slice with tomato mixture.

Makes about 6½ dozen.

Nutritional Information:
1 appetizer: 33 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 67mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.