Provoleta

The opening act of the Argentine asado: a thick round of provolone grilled until it is crisp and golden outside and molten within, showered with dried oregano and chilli flakes and a little olive oil, eaten straight from the pan with bread

Origin: Argentina

From the journey of Oregano.

Provoleta is Argentina's gift to grilled cheese: a thick disc of provolone, an Italian cheese remade by Italian immigrants into a distinctly Argentine form, cooked on the parrilla until a crust forms beneath and the inside turns to molten gold. Its finishing flavour, and the thing that makes it Argentine rather than merely Italian, is the heavy scatter of dried oregano and chilli flakes (ají molido) over the top, the same oregano that flavours the chimichurri waiting beside it. It is the traditional first course of the asado, the great Argentine grill, eaten hot and stretchy with crusty bread while the meat cooks. Oregano, carried to the River Plate by Italian immigration, is the herb that crowns it.

Ingredients

Cheese

  • 400 g provolone cheese, in one thick round about 2cm deep (provolone for grilling, or a firm provolone)

Topping

  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (ají molido or red pepper flakes)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

To serve

  • 1 crusty bread, to serve

Method

  1. Sprinkle the round of provolone on both sides with a little of the oregano. If you have time, leave the cheese uncovered in the refrigerator for an hour or so to dry the surface, which helps it form a crust.
  2. Heat a heavy cast-iron pan or a flat grill over medium-high heat until very hot. Lay the cheese in the dry pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms underneath.
  3. Carefully turn the round with a wide spatula and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp underneath and soft and molten in the middle.
  4. Slide onto a warm plate (or serve in the pan). Scatter generously with the remaining oregano and the chilli flakes, and drizzle with olive oil.
  5. Serve immediately, while molten, with plenty of crusty bread for scooping and tearing.

Notes

Provolone made specially for grilling holds its shape best; a firm, aged provolone also works, while a young, soft one will spread too much. The traditional vessel is a small cast-iron dish called a provoletera, but any heavy pan will do. The oregano-and-chilli topping is essential and non-negotiable; without it, it is just grilled cheese. Serve as the opening of an asado, before the chorizo and the beef.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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