Pork and Fennel Mascarpone Dip with Pasta Chips
By Alex HeugelPublished on April 9, 2025
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Pasta Chips
12 ounces jumbo pasta shells Table salt for cooking pasta3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for fryingDip
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided6 ounces ground pork ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided⅛ teaspoon pepper 1 small fennel bulb, 2 teaspoons fronds chopped; stalks discarded; bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine (1 cup) ½ onion, chopped fine3 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 8 ounces (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice½ cup panko bread crumbsBefore You Begin
Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. If you can’t find jumbo shells, you can substitute lasagna noodles broken into 2-inch lengths. You can also serve the dip with store-bought chips.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain pasta thoroughly, transfer to greased rimmed baking sheet, and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Wipe now-empty pot dry with paper towels. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to pot until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Fry one-quarter of pasta, turning shells occasionally, until sizzling subsides and shells are evenly golden, about 5 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer pasta chips to prepared rack. Turn shells upside down to allow oil to drain off and season with salt to taste. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat frying with remaining pasta in 3 batches.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until lightly browned and fully cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to paper towel–lined plate; set aside.
- Add fennel bulb, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer fennel mixture to large bowl; discard fat left in skillet. Add mascarpone, cream cheese, mayonnaise, water, parsley, lemon zest and juice, pork and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer dip to 1-quart broiler-safe casserole dish; set aside. (Alternatively, dip can be divided between two 14-ounce broiler-safe ramekins or casserole dishes.)
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Toss panko with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture over dip and broil until golden brown and bubbling around edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with fennel fronds and serve dip with pasta chips.
for the pasta chips
for the dip
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Pasta Chips
12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
Table salt for cooking pasta
3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Dip
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 ounces ground pork
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 small fennel bulb, 2 teaspoons fronds chopped; stalks discarded; bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine (1 cup)
½ onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Ingredients
Pasta Chips
12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
Table salt for cooking pasta
3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Dip
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 ounces ground pork
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 small fennel bulb, 2 teaspoons fronds chopped; stalks discarded; bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine (1 cup)
½ onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Ingredients
Pasta Chips
12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
Table salt for cooking pasta
3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Dip
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 ounces ground pork
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 small fennel bulb, 2 teaspoons fronds chopped; stalks discarded; bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine (1 cup)
½ onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe won culinary school instructor Alex the appetizer challenge in episode 6 of the second season of America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation. Inspired by Pork, Fennel, and Lemon Ragu with Pappardelle, the warm dip started with ground pork, which is enhanced by a savory trio of fresh fennel, onion, and garlic. Mascarpone cheese added a creamy element, while cream cheese provided tanginess and helped to stabilize the dip during broiling. For the “chips,” he boiled jumbo pasta shells and then deep-fried them until they were crisp, creating the perfect contrast to the silky dip.
Before You Begin
Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. If you can’t find jumbo shells, you can substitute lasagna noodles broken into 2-inch lengths. You can also serve the dip with store-bought chips.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain pasta thoroughly, transfer to greased rimmed baking sheet, and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Wipe now-empty pot dry with paper towels. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to pot until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Fry one-quarter of pasta, turning shells occasionally, until sizzling subsides and shells are evenly golden, about 5 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer pasta chips to prepared rack. Turn shells upside down to allow oil to drain off and season with salt to taste. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat frying with remaining pasta in 3 batches.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until lightly browned and fully cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to paper towel–lined plate; set aside.
- Add fennel bulb, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer fennel mixture to large bowl; discard fat left in skillet. Add mascarpone, cream cheese, mayonnaise, water, parsley, lemon zest and juice, pork and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer dip to 1-quart broiler-safe casserole dish; set aside. (Alternatively, dip can be divided between two 14-ounce broiler-safe ramekins or casserole dishes.)
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Toss panko with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture over dip and broil until golden brown and bubbling around edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with fennel fronds and serve dip with pasta chips.
for the pasta chips
for the dip
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