Last week, a pickle wrapped in fried provolone took over cooking Tik Tok. Days later, I still can't get that pickle and its immaculate provolone blanket out of my head.
@clurmurr where the pickle people at #guiltypleasuresnack #picklesnack ♬ original sound - Claire
There's a lot to love with this snack hack. To start, it's simple. This pickle-in-a-blanket requires just two ingredients: a pickle spear and a slice of provolone. As a person with little fridge space, less money, and no patience, two is my ideal number of ingredients. But moving beyond my own refrigerator and into Flavor Town, the pickle and fried provolone combo just makes sense. The crunch and acid of the pickle perfectly balance out the salty, crispy fried cheese.
Ready to try it? Fry a piece of cheese in a pan (don't forget to coat the pan in a bit of oil first), place a pickle in the middle of the cheese, wait for the cheese to get golden crisp around its edges, and then wrap the fried cheese skirt around the pickle. As the final step, rest the now cheese-wrapped pickle on a paper towel. Eat immediately.
As a lifelong (one week) fan of the pickle wrapped in fried cheese, I cannot wait to see how this two-ingredient combination develops over time. Upon immediate review, there are a few culinary-minded questions this cheese pickle shoulder consider:
Would another pickle work better?
We already know this works with a spear, but a cornichon or pickle chip wrapped in fried cheese could be more stackable. However, there are some obvious boundaries to consider.A whole pickle? Absolutely too big. Relish? No.
Recipe: Bread & Butter Pickles
What could we do with the cheese?
There are many options here. You can play it safe with the classic provolone or anything you might find on a burger, like American or cheddar. Though, a stronger, but equally meltable cheese (like fontina or smoked Gouda), could entirely transform this pickle snack.
Dipping sauce
The creator dipped her freshly fried cheese pickle in ranch and came away happy. I support that. Would a spicy mayo work even better? Could peanut butter spread on top of the cheese also work?
Recipe: Basil Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
These are questions worth pursuing and flavors worth trying. Thank you Tik Tok, you've pleasantly surprised me.
