Fondue Provolone
Emmenthal balances the sharp flavor of provolone in this recipe. Serve with a robust Italian red wine.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4–6
- ½ pound provolone cheese
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 pound Emmenthal cheese
- 1½ cups dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried basil, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 loaf French or Italian bread, cut into cubes
- ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
Finely dice the provolone and Emmenthal cheeses. Mix the flour with the basil and oregano. Toss the two cheeses with the flour and spices.
Smash the garlic, peel, and cut in half. Rub the garlic around the inside of a medium saucepan. Discard. Add the wine to the saucepan and warm on medium-low heat. Don't allow the wine to boil.
When the wine is warm, stir in the lemon juice. Add the cheese, a handful at a time. Stir the cheese continually in a sideways figure eight pattern. Wait until the cheese is completely melted before adding more. Don't allow the fondue mixture to boil.
When the cheese is melted, stir in the tomato paste. Heat through, and then turn up the heat until the mixture bubbles and starts thickening. Transfer to a fondue pot and set on the burner. Serve with the bread cubes for dipping.
Doubling Up
Need more fondue to feed a crowd? Take a basic cheese fondue recipe and double the amount of cheese but not the liquid. Instead, increase the liquid by only 1½ times. The different ratio is related to how liquid evaporates and the surface area of the saucepan. If the liquid is doubled, the fondue may develop a soupy texture.
