Carbonara Dip & Oaked Chardonnay
One of the worlds most comforting pastas, as a DIP!
This dip is SUPER creamy, cheesy, and salty, and basically begs for a wine pairing to cleanse the palate between bites. You could go a few ways with this pairing, but an oaked Chardonnay works on so many levels!
It’s rich and creamy enough to stand up to the richness of the dip with enough acidity to keep it refreshing, and it has some smokiness and spice to it from the oak that plays so well with flavours from the Pancetta. I recommend a Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley in California. They tend to have a beautiful balance of richness just enough acidity to keep them refreshing, which is exactly what this dip needs!
Carbonara Dip
Ingredients
1 cup Mozzarella, finely shredded
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, finely shredded
1/4 cup Grana Padano, finely shredded
1 1/2 cups Pancetta or Bacon, thinly diced (approx 3 1/2 inch slices of pancetta or 4 slices thick bacon)
1 shallot, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup 14% sour cream
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 cup milk
2-4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook chopped Pancetta (or bacon) until crispy. Drain out most of the fat, leaving some in there for taste and texture. Set aside around 1/2 cup for the topping.
Turn heat to medium-low and add grated shallot and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Add grated Mozzarella, Pecorino, and Grana Padano and stir well to combine and melt cheese.
Transfer dip to an oven safe dish (I recommend one that retains a lot of heat, like this 8 inch cast iron skillet) and bake at 425 F for 10-15 minutes or until bubbling and heated through.
Remove from the oven and top with more shredded Grana Padano, remaining Pancetta or bacon, and fresh basil. Serve with your favourite salted original chips and a glass of Oaked Chardonnay!