Provoleta

Sliced provoleta grilling on a typical Argentine asado rack

Provoleta is an Argentine variant of provolone cheese described as "Argentine pulled-curd provolone cheese". It can be heated on a grill, or indoors in a cast-iron pan. The cheese is firm and can hold its shape when grilled.

It was introduced in Argentina by Natalio Alba, a native of the Italian region of Calabria, who created this cheese inspired by typical cheeses of his region such as provola silana and caciocavallo, combining it with the tradition of Argentine asado.

Small discs of locally produced provolone cheese of 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) in diameter and 1 to 15 cm (0.5 to 6 inches) in height are often eaten at the start of an asado (barbecue), before the grilled meat. The provolone, coated with flour and often topped with chilli flakes and oregano, is placed directly on the grill, on small stones or inside a foil plate, and cooked until part-melted. The provoleta may be seasoned with chimichurri, a mixture of oils and spices, and is usually eaten communally with bread.

Stuffed provoleta (Spanish: provoleta rellena) is a provoleta stuffed with assorted fillings that could include ham, barbecue sausage or morcilla blood sausage, cheese, vegetables, peppers and onions.

See also

• Argentine cheese