Tuscan Sunburst Appetizer

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 large yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced into thin strips

→ Cheese Mixture

02 - 7 oz fresh goat cheese, softened

03 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1–2 lemons)

04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

05 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

06 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped

07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Bread

08 - 12 Italian breadsticks (grissini)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, chives, salt, and pepper; mix until smooth and creamy.

02 - Place the yellow bell pepper strips in a circular pattern on a large serving platter to form sun rays, leaving the center open for the cheese.

03 - Spoon the lemon-infused goat cheese into the center of the platter, shaping it into a neat circle or dome.

04 - Arrange the breadsticks around the platter, radiating outward from the cheese center like sun rays.

05 - Serve immediately, using the breadsticks and bell peppers to scoop the cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It's basically a work of art that happens to taste incredible—your guests will actually stop and admire it before eating.
Takes twenty minutes but feels like you spent hours in the kitchen.
The contrast between crisp peppers, creamy cheese, and snappy breadsticks creates the most satisfying texture play.

02 -

If your peppers are watery or wet after slicing, pat them dry with a paper towel or they'll slide around and ruin your sunburst geometry.
The lemon zest is crucial—a microplane gets you fine, bright bits that disappear into the cheese, while a box grater gives you chunky pieces that feel gritty and wrong.

03 -