There are few things better in this world than this heavenly dish

The dish

Provoleta, Argentina

Plate up

More provoleta please, pronto.

There are few things better in this world than melted cheese. Think of the dishes that feature it: pizza, croque monsieur, Welsh rarebit, mac and cheese, lasagne, fondue, quesadilla, tartiflette, poutine … these are icons. Legends. And so, the good people of Argentina clearly thought, why not do away with the frippery and just serve a whopping hunk of melted dairy? Hence, provoleta, a much-loved Argentinian dish of, well, melted cheese. To make it, a large hunk of provoleta – a cheese similar to Italian provolone, though less prone to splitting or melting completely at high temperatures – is sprinkled with a little dried oregano and chilli flakes, then placed either directly on a wood-fired grill called a parrilla, or in a cast-iron pan, which then goes on the grill. It’s cooked until bubbly, oozy and melty, and served with bread and chimichurri (a local sauce of minced herbs). Heaven.

First serve

There’s a long history of Italian migration to Argentina and a noticeable presence of Italian cuisine in Argentinian food. Provoleta, too, is an adaptation of an Italian staple, an invention of a Calabrian migrant, Natalio Alba, who arrived in Buenos Aires in 1938. After eventually settling in the city of Cordoba, Alba decided to blend the Italian love of cheese with the local passion for grilled food, and invented a long, tubular cheese, similar in taste to provolone, that could be cut into slices and grilled on a parrilla without it melting into the fire. To this day, true provoleta must be labelled with Alba’s brand: Provolone Hilado Argentino.

Order there

Most “parrillas”, or grill restaurants in Buenos Aires will serve provoleta, along with a multitude of meat options. Try La Cabrera (lacabrera.com.ar) for one of the best.

Order here

In Sydney, sample the seriously good “wood-fired cheese” at Porteno (porteno.com.au). In Melbourne, head to San Telmo (santelmo.com.au) for a great provoleta. And in Adelaide, try Gaucho’s (gauchos.com.au).

One more thing

Provoleta in Argentina is usually served as a starter during a full “asado”, or Argentinian-style barbecue. These hours-long events are built around the consumption of heroic amounts of grilled meat, with the occasional vegetable or slice of cheese for balance.