Fainá
Fainá
A thin, crispy chickpea flour flatbread that's the classic companion to Buenos Aires pizza. Served as a slab placed directly on top of a pizza slice — a combination that every porteño knows and loves.
Fainá (Fainá)
A thin, crispy chickpea flour flatbread that's the classic companion to Buenos Aires pizza. Served as a slab placed directly on top of a pizza slice — a combination that every porteño knows and loves.
- 2 cups (200g) chickpea flour (harina de garbanzos)
- 2 cups (475ml) water
- 3 tbsp olive oil (plus more for the pan)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Wine Pairing
Cold beer or house wine (vino de la casa)
- •Every pizzería in Buenos Aires sells fainá by the slice
- •Pizzería Güerrín (Av. Corrientes 1368) — eat standing at the counter
- •El Cuartito (Talcahuano 937) — classic pairing with muzzarella pizza
- 1
Whisk chickpea flour and water together in a bowl until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- 2
Cover the batter and let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour. This hydrates the chickpea flour and improves texture. Skim off any foam that forms on top.
- 3
Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Place a 14-inch round baking pan or cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
- 4
Carefully remove the hot pan and coat generously with olive oil.
- 5
Pour the batter into the hot, oiled pan — it should sizzle. The batter should be about 1/4 inch thick.
- 6
Bake on the top rack for 15-20 minutes until the surface is golden and slightly crackled, with darker spots around the edges.
- 7
Remove and let cool for 2 minutes. Cut into slices and serve immediately.
- 8
To eat like a true porteño, place a slice of fainá directly on top of a slice of muzzarella pizza.
- ✦
The resting time is essential — skipping it results in a gritty texture. One hour minimum, two hours is even better.
- ✦
The pan must be screaming hot when you pour in the batter — this is what creates the crispy bottom.
- ✦
Fainá should be thin (under 1/4 inch). If it's thick, it becomes cakey instead of crispy.
Fainá comes from the Genovese farinata, a chickpea flatbread that Italian immigrants brought to Argentina in the late 1800s. In Genoa it was poor people's food; in Buenos Aires it became a beloved companion to pizza. The tradition of placing a slice of fainá on top of a slice of pizza is uniquely Argentine — you'll see it in every pizzería in the city. It's always ordered by the slice, standing at the counter.
Best eaten fresh and hot. Leftovers can be reheated in a very hot oven for 5 minutes but will lose some crispness. Does not freeze well.