Provoleta (Argentine Grilled Provolone)

Name: Provoleta (Argentine Grilled Provolone)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients: 225 g provolone cheese; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 clove garlic; 1 pinch coarse sea salt; 1 tsp fresh parsley; 1 wedge lemon; 4 slice crusty bread (optional)

A classic Argentine parrilla starter: a thick disc of provolone quickly seared and broiled until bubbling and golden, finished with oregano, chili and lemon. Perfect as a snack or small plate to share.

AI image

17 min

start to finish

5 min

hands on

Easy

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

225 g provolone cheeseone small disc or block, about 3/4–1 inch / 2–2.5 cm thick
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oildivided
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp red pepper flakesadjust to taste
1 clove garlicminced
1 pinch coarse sea saltor to taste
1 tsp fresh parsleyfinely chopped, for garnish
1 wedge lemonfor squeezing at the end
4 slice crusty bread (optional)to serve — adds gluten (optional)(optional)

Contains dairy. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

185 kcal12g protein1g carbs13g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Put the oven rack 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) below the broiler and turn the broiler to high.
Whisk together 1 tbsp olive oil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, minced garlic and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
Pat the provolone dry with a paper towel and, if it’s a very round wheel, slice it crosswise so you have a 3/4–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) thick disc.
Score the top edge of the cheese lightly with a knife (a couple shallow cuts) to help it hold its shape when it softens.
Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof nonstick pan over medium heat until hot.
Add 1 tsp olive oil to the pan and set the provolone in the skillet. Sear until the bottom is golden, about 2–3 minutes.
Spoon the seasoned oil evenly over the top of the cheese, then transfer the skillet to the preheated broiler.
Broil until the cheese is bubbling and the top is browned in spots (use the broiler window to watch closely), 4–6 minutes.
Remove the skillet and let the provoleta rest 2 minutes so it firms slightly.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley, squeeze the lemon wedge over the top, and serve straight from the skillet with crusty bread if you like.

Worth knowing

If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, place the cheese on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil — use a small aluminum foil ring around the cheese to keep any melted cheese from spreading.
Substitute: use a young, melting provolone (often sold as 'provolone for melting') or a similar melting cheese such as fontina if provolone isn't available. Avoid aged hard provolone that won't soften the same way.
For a sharper finish, stir 1 tsp of chimichurri into the oil before spooning it onto the cheese.
To prevent sticking if your pan is not well seasoned, place the cheese on a square of foil first and cook the foil on the pan; the bottom will still brown nicely.
Serve immediately — provoleta is best while hot and soft; cooled cheese will firm up and lose the molten texture.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

VegetarianGluten-freeQuickOne pan

More Argentine cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Argentine cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegetarian and gluten-free as listed.