Tuscan Sunburst Appetizer (Print View)

Bright yellow peppers with lemony goat cheese and crunchy breadsticks arranged beautifully for sharing.

# Components:

→ 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 grissini (Italian breadsticks)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, chives, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
02 - Place yellow bell pepper strips in a circular pattern on a large serving platter to form sun rays, leaving the center open.
03 - Spoon the lemon-infused goat cheese into the center of the platter, shaping it into a neat circle or dome.
04 - Place breadsticks around the platter, radiating outward from the cheese center like sun rays.
05 - Serve immediately, using breadsticks and bell pepper strips to scoop up the cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but takes barely twenty minutes, which means you can actually enjoy your guests instead of stress-cooking in the kitchen.
  • The lemon-cheese combination is bright enough to cut through summer heat, and it pairs beautifully with almost any aperitivo you have on hand.
  • Yellow peppers have a gentler sweetness than red ones, so they won't overpower the tang of the goat cheese—it's a balance that just works.
02 -
  • If you roast the peppers first until they're slightly charred and then cool them, the flavor deepens incredibly—it's worth the extra ten minutes if you have the time.
  • Goat cheese temperature matters more than you'd think; if it's straight from the cold, mixing it will be lumpy and frustrating, so let it sit out for at least thirty minutes before you start.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before you juice them—it's easier and you won't accidentally get juice all over the zest, which makes a bitter mess.
  • If your grissini seem soft or stale by the time guests arrive, you can briefly toast them in a dry pan or the oven to bring back their snap.
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