September 4, 2009
Provoleta–Grilled Provolone
To use the old adage 'A picture's worth a thousand words' would be trite, but in this case, there's not much I can say beyond what you see in the photo above to convince you to get up from your computer, jump in your car, race to the closest deli and ask for a one-inch thick slice of Provolone cheese so you can make Provoleta as soon as possible.
I guess we could say that 'A picture is worth a thousand bites' because just looking at this grilled cheese, I start to salivate, I can almost taste the cheese; gooey, melty, savory with a hint of oregano and crushed red pepper. I'm imagining how it tastes spread across those little toasted slices of bread, salty, with a hint of garlic and olive oil. I'm thinking of the crunch of the crust when I bite into it, and how I will keep devouring them until I'm stuffed full of cheese and toast, knowing that I really should share, but also knowing that I probably won't!
Provoleta couldn't be simpler, and maybe that's the reason it maintians its popularity as an appetizer in Argentina. It's nothing more than a thick slice of Provolone cheese, sprinkled with oregano and crushed red pepper, and grilled–either on a barbecue outdoors, or a cast iron grill pan, even under the broiler. It's served with little toasted slices of french bread–I like to jazz mine up a bit by rubbing them with a clove of garlic, brushing them with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt before toasting.
It's a great dish to share pre-barbecue. Luckily, it only takes a few minutes, so making seconds (or thirds) is no big deal. When the class made this at my From Argentina With Love class at The Seasoned Chef Cooking School, the class descended on the platter like a cloud of locusts and it was gone. It must be served hot, or the meltiness disappears, and nobody wants that! Share it, if you can!
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You may also enjoy Provoleta recipes from Asado Argentina, Morsels and Musings, or Pip In The City. (There's also one by Food & Wine and Steven Raichlen.)
Provoleta
Grilled Provolone
1 inch thick slice provolone cheese
fresh oregano, to taste, about 2 tablespoons
½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 baguette loaf, sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled
salt
olive oil
Place the cheese in the griddle and sprinkle with half of the oregano and half of the crushed red pepper. When the cheese starts to brown and melt, usually after about 2 minutes, turn it over using a wide spatula, and cook until the second side is browned, about 2 minutes. Remove to a serving dish, and sprinkle with remaining oregano and crushed red pepper.
Serve by spreading cheese on crusts of bread.
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Dear Rebecca,
grilled cheese is a classic in these whereabouts.
I invite you to taste grilled provolone or grilled pecorino (if you can find some) with a teaspoon of chestnut flower honey on top (not too much, just a thin layer of honey).
I still owe you a whole blog posting about that stunning fugazza a la parilla that i made twice since i read your recipe, but i still need to find the perfect balance between the height of the grill and the heat of the embers, so i keep practicing until it comes out perfect!
Ciao
Tlaz
I am salivating. Yum!
Paz
Oh I am drooling. I wish I could get provolone easily here
I think my comment didn’t pass the Typepad spam test due to low word count and added link. Lemme try again.
Just said that the cheese in the photo looks delicious and that I found a site that appears to sell imported Arg provoleta in the U.S.. I’ve never ordered through them however.
Search for provoleta at amigofoods.com