Roasted Tomato and Mozzarella Bruschetta

Not only is this a terrific appetizer, but you can also serve these roasted tomatoes over pasta or as a sauce for a grilled entrée. The slow cooker roasts the tomatoes. When they cool, you stir in fresh mozzarella to make a terrific bruschetta topping to serve as part of an antipasto.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Three 28- to 32-ounce cans whole plum tomatoes, drained
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¹/₈ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into
• ½-inch dice

Instructions

Lightly toasted baguette slices for serving

combine all the ingredients except the mozzarella and the baguette slices in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Uncover the cooker and cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours, until the tomato liquid has almost evaporated.

remove the tomato mixture to the bowl of a food processor and pulse on and off five times to chop the tomatoes and garlic. Transfer to a serving bowl to cool, then stir in the mozzarella.

serve with the toasted baguette slices.

serves 8