Potato Chip Tower with Prosciutto and Endive

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Today, I have less of a recipe and more of a snack concept. I’ve been seeing dressed potato chips all over the Internet lately. They’ve been called potato chip towers, charcuterie chips, and potato chip nachos. But I prefer the name potato chip sundae. No one else is calling it this, and it isn’t particularly descriptive, but for some reason, that is where my mind landed, and now I can’t resist calling it that. You’ll notice I didn’t choose that term for the title. Sometimes it’s better to keep one’s strangeness to oneself. I guess I wasn’t successful at doing that since I just told you, but at least the SEO gods are happy. But whatever you call it, today’s Potato Chip Tower with Prosciutto and Endive is simple to put together and devastatingly snackable. So let’s make it!

Many of the potato chip tower iterations I have seen have two things in common: the chips and the prosciutto. Beyond that, the variations are endless. And honestly, even since banging this one out, my brain has been inundated with other chip, cheese, and deli meat combinations I would love to try. But before I get to them, let’s talk about the chip sundae du jour. This playful starter features truffle-flavoured potato chips layered with torn pieces of bitter endive and delicate sheets of buttery prosciutto. The chip tower is finished with a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano and potentially too much black pepper. I like to round out the snack session with pepperoncini peppers and a nice bowl of olives. I know they’re not technically part of the dish, but they do complete the experience. As does the pair of Aperol spritzes. 

Most of the potato chip towers I came across included some kind of sauce. Aioli seems to make the most frequent appearance. I did not include aioli in my version because I don’t like soggy potato chips. To tell you the truth, I don’t like poutine for this reason. I know, shameful! What kind of Canadian am I? But having said all that, I could see having a bowl of aioli on the side for dipping. It would be a sort of Ruffles and French onion dip experience, which I fully support. Perhaps you could invite this aioli to the party. Or maybe try pairing these chips with my Caramelized Shallot Dip? I feel like this experiment is somewhere in my not-too-distant future, and it can be in yours as well.

I feel a little silly walking you through this recipe because, as I mentioned, this is more of a concept, but here goes nothing. First, select a nice platter. Don’t go too huge, we want the chips to build up, not spread out. Start with an even layer of potato chips. Be conservative here; we have a total of three layers to build. Don’t blow the whole bag on the base. Now, lay in the endive. Tear any larger leaves in half. I like to save the smallest leaves for the very top, but that’s just personal preference. Grab a sheet of prosciutto and tear it into smaller pieces. Coil the pieces into rosettes and place them on top of the endive. Now, repeat everything you just did, and do it once more, ending on prosciutto. 

As a final touch, cover the entire chip tower with a generous shred of Parmigiano Reggiano and a ton of fresh ground pepper. You might be wondering when to serve this beast, and I propose you pair this Potato Chip Tower with welcome cocktails if you’re throwing a dinner party. Or you could serve it as part of a snack buffet at a laid-back patio gathering. Regardless of when you serve it, round out your snack offerings with a few other simple nibbles. I think briny characters pair with this appetizer best, but you do you.

Enjoy!