Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Argentine-Uruguayan fainá: a thin, golden chickpea flatbread baked crisp at the edges. Naturally gluten-free, and the traditional partner to a slice of pizza.
Fainá is a modest Argentine and Uruguayan flatbread made from just chickpea flour, water and olive oil. It comes out crisp at the edges and soft and savoury in the middle. The recipe descends from Italian farinata, and it's traditionally eaten with pizza, laid straight on top of a slice. It happens to be gluten-free, and it shows how far a handful of plain ingredients can go.
Jump to recipe
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Total 40 min
Easy
Scale:
- 200g Chickpea Flour
- 600ml Water
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
- To taste Salt
- To taste Pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
315
kcal
11g
Protein
29g
Carbs
17g
Fat
Estimated per serving. How we calculate this.
Preparation
- Whisk the chickpea flour, water, salt and pepper together, then leave to stand for at least 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge) so the flour hydrates fully.
- Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Pour the olive oil into a round baking dish and heat it in the oven, then pour in the batter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.
- Slice and serve hot, with extra black pepper on top if you fancy. Heating the oiled pan first is what gives you that lovely crisp edge.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Rest the batter for several hours or overnight so the chickpea flour hydrates fully. This is what gives you a smooth, tender result.
- Heat the oiled pan in the oven until it's properly hot before the batter goes in, which gives you crisp, golden edges.
- Skim any foam off the rested batter before it bakes for a cleaner texture.
- Eat it hot with a heavy grind of black pepper, the traditional finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chickpea flour needs the time to soak up the water, which is what gives fainá its creamy inside and keeps it from tasting raw and chalky. Don't rush it.
Yes. It's nothing but chickpea flour, so it's naturally gluten-free and vegan, which makes it handy for a lot of diets.
In Argentina and Uruguay it's often had 'a caballo', set right on top of a slice of pizza. It's also good on its own as a snack or a side.
Yes. Rosemary, plenty of black pepper or a scatter of onion are all popular, either stirred through or strewn on top before baking.
Save this recipe, join ZestyPlate free
- Save your favourite recipes
- Build your own cookbooks
- Track what you've cooked
- New recipes in your inbox
Create free account
Already a member? Log in
Ratings & Reviews
Log in or create an account to rate this recipe.
No reviews yet, be the first to rate this recipe!
Comments (0)
Log in or create an account to join the conversation.
No comments yet, start the conversation!