Provoleta

Before You Start

Aged provolone only. The soft kind runs straight out of the pan.

Dry the surfaces in the fridge first.

Serve in the pan. Off the heat it sets within three or four minutes.

How to Make Provoleta

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1. Sit the provolone disc uncovered on a rack in the fridge for 1 hour so the surfaces dry.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

2. Press the oregano and chilli flakes onto both faces of the disc.

   Mark done

3. Heat a cast iron pan or small skillet over high heat until it is genuinely hot — a drop of water should vanish instantly.

   Mark done

4. Add the olive oil, then lay the cheese in. It should sizzle at once.

   Mark done

5. Cook 3 to 4 minutes without moving it, until a dark crust has formed underneath. Lift an edge with a palette knife to check.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

6. Turn it carefully in one movement, using two spatulas.

   Mark done

7. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the second side crusts and the centre begins to bulge and wobble.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

8. Grind the black pepper over and take the pan straight to the table.

   Mark done

9. Eat immediately, scooping it onto bread (optional) with chimichurri and a squeeze of lemon.

   Mark done

Related guide: Ingredient substitutions.

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Why the Method Works

Provolone hilado, the aged Argentinian type, has a low enough moisture content to brown rather than collapse into a puddle — a young provolone dolce will simply melt and run. Drying the cut surface in the fridge for an hour is what lets the crust form before the middle goes.

Storage and Reheating

Eat immediately. Uncooked provolone keeps 2 weeks wrapped in the fridge.

If You're Missing Something

• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Good With

• Chimichurri and crusty bread
• A Malbec
• Grilled meat to follow

Nutrition per Serving

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.

Gluten-free when served without the crusty bread.

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