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+ servings
Provoleta -or Fried Cheese- is a delicious Argentinian cheese dish of pan-fried provolone cheese with crushed red pepper flakes and delicious garlic and herb chimichurri. An easier and more enticing appetizer simply doesn't exist!

Provoleta

Rebecca Lindamood
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Provoleta -or Fried Cheese- is a delicious Argentinian cheese dish of pan-fried provolone cheese with crushed red pepper flakes and delicious garlic and herb chimichurri. An easier and more enticing appetizer simply doesn't exist!

Equipment

  • cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 inch slab provolone cheese see notes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano roughly chopped, divided
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes divided
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper divided

For serving:

Optional but tasty:

Instructions
 

  • Place the provolone cheese slab in a shallow dish. Drizzle the olive oil over it and flip to coat both sides. Place the dish in the freezer while you proceed.
  • Heat your grill to high temperature with a small cast-iron skillet. The skillet will preheat with the grill. If you do not have a grill, place a cast-iron skillet on a burner over medium-high heat or in an oven to preheat to 450°F.
  • When the grill or oven has reached full temperature or the pan on the stovetop is very hot, place the cheese into the hot pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the oregano and half each of the crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper.
  • Cook for 2 minutes, the bottom of the cheese should be beginning to brown. Carefully flip the cheese, sprinkle with another teaspoon of the oregano and the remaining pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
  • Cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the bottom of the second side is starting to brown and the cheese is clearly melting a bit. You can serve now or you can pop the pan under the broiler to brown the top half a bit more.

To Serve:

  • Garnish with the remaining fresh oregano and serve with chimichurri and crusty bread or toast.

Notes

If you'd like for your cheese to hold its shape a little better after being fried, use this method. Leave it out at room temperature, uncovered, on a rack for several hours or overnight. This will help dry out the surface of the cheese, allowing you to get a little more browning and crispness before your cheese slumps into a cheesy puddle.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 9gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 879mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 759IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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