Provoleta (Grilled Provolone Cheese) Recipe (2024)

Finally, an authentic Argentinian recipe for chimichurri. Too many chimichurri recipes call for cilantro, which I never saw in Argentina.

But isn't chimichurri precisely the local version of salsa verde -- green sauce -- in the sense that most cuisines in most places have a version of a green sauce and this is Argentina's? I don't see this as demeaning South American culture, but as helping readers fit this sauce into the trans-border grammars of cooking.

The only problem, if you can call it that, with provoleta is that it is so delicious that it's really hard to enjoy the asado that comes afterwards! There is also an Italian recipe, whose name I forget, that uses scamorza cheese, which is quite a lot like provola. In this case, you take two thick slices of scamorza lightly dusted with flour on the side that will be on the frying pan, place some fat anchovies between them and fry, quickly (so it doesn't melt all over) and gently.

A couple of things:
Chimichurri is not "the local version of salsa verde". Chimichurri has been there long before Mr Tanis or me learned to spell VERDE. It is a testament to the mild flavors that follow meats in Uruguay and Argentina, oregano, parsley, forget the red pepper flakes, unknown there.
Do not try this recipe with italian provolone. It only works with the milder Argentinian version of the cheese.

My Sicilian born grandfather, who immigrated here from Palermo in the 1910, used to make this dish for me and him for breakfast when I was a child. We ate the hot melty cheese doused with olive oil and some good Italian bread. I loved it! I've never seen it in Italy and don't know anyone here who's had it. I thought he had made it up. So it was a blast to see it this morning described as an Argentine dish. I doubt my grandfather got it from there, but you never know.

I would only heat/cook the provolone outdoors, the smell indoors is overwhelming and seems to linger for days. Brings back memories of my childhood where we would come home from school and start wailing--Mom! You fried that cheese again, waah! P-U!! :)
That said, it is quite delicious!

With 15 years of living in Argentina I can tell you this is not Provoleta! True Provoleta is grilled on a Parrilla (V-shaped grill) so hot that the cheese immediately forms a crust. It is flipped to crust the other side. When served it is not bubbling merely softly melted in the center. It can be cut with a knife like a pizza to be shared. It is usually served plain or at an added expense with warm tomato slices, basil, olive oil, and oregano on top. Never seen chimichurri used on it.

One can try Turkish ör Greek Kasseri also.

Try unsmoked provolone. The flavor and smell are different.

Loved the chimichurri, and I plan to use the leftovers in my other dishes. However, we used Italian provolone, and it hardened after all the fat melted away. Will try again with a different cheese next time.

For a quick and easy version try the one I have been preparing for breakfast or afternoon snack for many years: Just put some provolone about 1/2 inch thick on a slice of baguette or other chewy bread and put it on a piece of aluminum foil and broil it in the oven or a countertop toaster oven until it turns bubbly and a little charred. It will be just as oozy as the cast iron grilled version. You still need the chimichurri which can be quickly made in a blender.

Saganaki! Opa.

I'm sorry,At what temperature range do you cook the cheese?

Red pepper flakes have always been used for chimichurri. Olive oil would be the only innovation. It has become a common thing now, but more "traditional" recipes were limited to neutral oils such as sunflowers or corn.

This note is for people contemplating using pre-sliced provolone cheese. Even if you stack up it to 1 inch tall, it doesn't fry up well. It just spreads out and sticks to the pan. Probably better to toast the bread and cheese together, and serve with the chimichurri, which was great.

This is just divine, as is. I usually use a different recipe for chimichurri, but made this according to the recipe and it was just right with the cheese. I could only get 1/2” thick provolone, and it worked well.

I’ve seen something similar to this done in Sardinia. I don’t remember what kind of cheese it was, but I’m guessing pecorino. A big chunk of cheese was impaled in a wood skewer and propped up next to a roaring fireplace. It was rotated occasionally by hand until it was heated through and starting to drip. Yummy!

Any wine pairing suggestions from the readers for this? Would be served as an appetizer before a more robust, meat-focused main course.

For a quick and easy version try the one I have been preparing for breakfast or afternoon snack for many years: Just put some provolone about 1/2 inch thick on a slice of baguette or other chewy bread and put it on a piece of aluminum foil and broil it in the oven or a countertop toaster oven until it turns bubbly and a little charred. It will be just as oozy as the cast iron grilled version. You still need the chimichurri which can be quickly made in a blender.

With 15 years of living in Argentina I can tell you this is not Provoleta! True Provoleta is grilled on a Parrilla (V-shaped grill) so hot that the cheese immediately forms a crust. It is flipped to crust the other side. When served it is not bubbling merely softly melted in the center. It can be cut with a knife like a pizza to be shared. It is usually served plain or at an added expense with warm tomato slices, basil, olive oil, and oregano on top. Never seen chimichurri used on it.

I'm sorry,At what temperature range do you cook the cheese?

very nice almost like a fondue.

Loved the chimichurri, and I plan to use the leftovers in my other dishes. However, we used Italian provolone, and it hardened after all the fat melted away. Will try again with a different cheese next time.

My Sicilian born grandfather, who immigrated here from Palermo in the 1910, used to make this dish for me and him for breakfast when I was a child. We ate the hot melty cheese doused with olive oil and some good Italian bread. I loved it! I've never seen it in Italy and don't know anyone here who's had it. I thought he had made it up. So it was a blast to see it this morning described as an Argentine dish. I doubt my grandfather got it from there, but you never know.

Do you let the cheese all melt together into one big "pancake"? Or make separate servings from each chunk?

I would only heat/cook the provolone outdoors, the smell indoors is overwhelming and seems to linger for days. Brings back memories of my childhood where we would come home from school and start wailing--Mom! You fried that cheese again, waah! P-U!! :)
That said, it is quite delicious!

Could the chimichurri ingredients be combined in a food processor?

One can try Turkish ör Greek Kasseri also.

A couple of things:
Chimichurri is not "the local version of salsa verde". Chimichurri has been there long before Mr Tanis or me learned to spell VERDE. It is a testament to the mild flavors that follow meats in Uruguay and Argentina, oregano, parsley, forget the red pepper flakes, unknown there.
Do not try this recipe with italian provolone. It only works with the milder Argentinian version of the cheese.