What is Provoleta?
Provoleta is a delicious Argentine dish made with grilled provolone cheese, typically served as an appetizer or side dish. It's easy to prepare and brings a burst of flavor to your table.
Here's a simple recipe to make Provoleta:
Ingredients:
- 1 large round or wedge of Provolone cheese (about 8-10 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a spicy kick)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Crusty bread or baguette, for serving
Instructions:
Prepare the grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If you don't have a grill, you can also use a cast-iron skillet or a grill pan on the stovetop.
Slice the Provolone: Cut the Provolone cheese into thick slices, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. The cheese should hold its shape during grilling, so avoid cutting it too thin.
Season the cheese: Brush both sides of each cheese slice with olive oil. This will help prevent sticking and give the cheese a lovely golden color as it grills. Sprinkle the dried oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper over the cheese slices.
Add garlic slices: Make small slits or pockets in the cheese using a knife and insert the thinly sliced garlic into these slits. This will infuse the cheese with a delicious garlic flavor as it grills.
Grill the Provoleta: Place the seasoned Provolone slices directly on the grill or in the grill pan. Grill the cheese for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until you see grill marks and the cheese starts to melt slightly.
Serve: Once the Provoleta is nicely grilled and has developed a golden crust, remove it from the grill and transfer it to a serving plate. You can serve it on its own or with some crusty bread or baguette slices for dipping.
Enjoy: Provoleta is best enjoyed while it's still warm and gooey. Encourage your guests to dip pieces of bread into the melted cheese and savor the flavorful combination.
Note: If you prefer a softer, more melted Provoleta, you can cover the grill or use a cloche or metal dome to trap the heat and help the cheese melt faster. However, be careful not to overcook it, as Provolone can become too runny and lose its texture.
Traditionally Provoleta is served with Chimichurri. Food & Wine has our favorite recipe here https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/traditional-chimichurri.
Provoleta is a versatile dish, and you can also add other ingredients like roasted red peppers, herbs, or even a drizzle of honey to enhance the flavors to your liking. As a fun flavor experience substitute one of our other hard cheeses.
Enjoy this tasty Argentine treat!
Did you try this recipe? Maybe you replaced the Provolone with Comté or have your own version.
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