What is "provoleta"

Provoleta is a trademark for an Argentine variant of provolone cheese described as "Argentine pulled-curd Provolone cheese." It is eaten barbecued in Argentina and less commonly in Uruguay.

The cheese was developed by Natalio Alba in about 1940, and the PROVOLETA trademark was established in 1963. The cheese is produced with a pulled-curd (pasta filata) technique is used.

Small discs of locally produced provolone cheese of 10 to 15 cm in diameter and 1 to 2 cm in height are often eaten at the start of an asado, before the grilled meat. The provolone, often topped with chilli 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.