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During my trip to the Italian market in Ventimiglia, I bought the best of the Italian grilled cheese : stretchy, gooey, smoky, chewy and nutty.
If I had to choose only one food to bring on a desert Island that would be grilled cheese, and if I can add crusty bread and red wine I am in paradise.
I could eat it every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner and my favourites are scamorza and provola.
If you like melted mozzarella you will love scamorza and provola.
Their taste is different but they are both made with cow milk.
They have the same consistency but are less watery than a mozzarella, gooier and with a sweet nutty flavour.
Scamorza
The scamorza is small and round and can be natural or smoked.
It has the same shape as a mozzarella and looks like a cured aged mozzarella.
It is stretchy and chewy and can be used as a filling for rice arancini, pizze or meatloaf.
Especially the smoked one has a prominent flavour and it is best to use it in rustic, decadent dish.
Provola Silana Calabrese
Provola has usually a longer shape. It is stringy but less chewy and has a subtler taste versus the scamorza.
It can be used for more sophisticated dishes and combined with more delicate flavours.
They are produced in different Italian regions and their taste might vary.
My favourite is the Calabrese provola, not only because I grew up with it.
Its flavour is very nutty and buttery, awesome with a sunny side up egg and sourdough bread.
Grilled Cheese
The best way to melt these cheeses is on a skillet pan. They form a crusty crunchy crust surrounded by buttery juices. You can serve them with a fresh tomato salad and basil.
If you are not convinced yet, watch the video below, it will melt your heart with goodness.
Italian Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 smoked scamorza
- 1 natural scamorza
- 1 lb Provola Calabrese
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 loaf bread sourdough or crunchy crust bread
Instructions
Grilling the scamorza
- Cut the scamorza in slices
- Lay the slices over a hot skillet pan, no need for seasoning
- Once the sides start melting and they form a crust, turn them upside down
Grilling the provola
- Cut the provola in slices
- Lay them in a small frying pan
- Once the provola starts to melt, turn it upside down and add an egg
- Cover the pan and cook until the egg is cooked as desired, soft or hard.
- Enjoy both grilled cheeses with a tomato salad
Oh my goodness, I wish I had this right now! I’ve never had anything like this before and I know I’d love all that gooey cheesey deliciousness!
You will love them
Wow.. Italian grilled cheese sounds like a perfect indulgence. I haven’t tried them before.. So this is absolutely exciting.
You should, they are amazing
That cheese just made me drool a little. I love a grilled cheese and this sounds perfect!
If you love grilled cheese you will adore those
WOW! I had no idea about these Italian grilled cheeses but that looks amazing!! I wonder if I could find those cheeses where I am. There is a large Italian community in Montreal so it’s possible! Your descriptions were totally mouth-watering!
Thank you, yes you should be able to find them in an Italian food shop. They are very common in Italy, therefore, a good Italian food shop will have them.
Wow – all that cheesy goodness is making me hungry!
I know, I had to have an early lunch as I was writing the post