Argentina's Provoleta has clinched the title of the best cheese dish in the world in the popular food and travel guide TasteAtlas Awards 2023-24. Provoleta is essentially an appetizer made entirely of provolone cheese, grilled, and sprinkled with dried red chilli flakes and oregano. It is then topped with chimichurri sauce, a popular Argentinean sauce made using olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. The gooey and cheesy dish is served with a side of fresh, crusty bread. To enjoy Provoleta, all you have to do is dip the bread in the dish, and you will find molten cheese inside the browned exterior, creating a cheese-fondue-like experience. Envelop your piece of bread with the cheese and relish the luxurious taste.
History And Origin Of Provoleta
Provolone is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk in southern Italy. Provoleta is an Argentinean variant of provolone cheese, believed to have been invented by Italian immigrants who aimed to blend two national cuisines.
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Natalio Alba, a native of Italy, is said to have invented Provoleta to introduce a cheese accompaniment with a roast. The cheese was first made in 1940 and was trademarked in 1963. What makes this cheese special is that it does not melt from the outside on grilling; however, it does melt a little from the inside.
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How To Make Provoleta At Home | Provoleta Recipe
If you are interested in making this dish at home, you can prepare it even on a stovetop. Before you start cooking, leave the cheese out for a few hours without covering it. This will help to dry the exterior a bit, making the grilling process easier. You can cook it on a grill, in the oven, or simply on the stovetop. Here is the full step-by-step recipe to prepare this cheesy dish at home.
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What To Serve With Provoleta?
Provoleta is generally served with bread and chimichurri, bursting with flavours of herbs. You can enjoy it with cocktails or Argentinean wine such as Malbec. The process is to dip the bread in this cheesy dish and then drizzle chimichurri sauce on top. Make sure you get lots of cheese in every bite. If you are sharing this dish, you might want to speed up, as it will vanish before you know it.