Fainá: Garbanzo Flatbread
Fainá is an Italian-style flatbread made from chickpea (garbanzo) flour that is popular in Uruguay and Argentina. Use this recipe to make it at home.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 2 ½cups garbanzo bean flour
- 1teaspoon salt
- ¼cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- Optional: 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 2to 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk the garbanzo bean flour with the salt, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the Parmesan cheese (if using) and a generous amount of ground black pepper.Step 3
Whisk in 1 3/4 cups of water until the mixture is well blended. Set the batter aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature to let the garbanzo flour absorb some of the water.Step 4
Preheat the oven to 450 F. When it is hot, place the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12-inch pizza pan. Heat the pan in the oven until very hot.Step 5
Gradually stir remaining water into the batter mixture until it is thin enough to pour. Remove the hot pizza pan from oven, and immediately pour the batter into the pan. The batter should make a thin layer, about 1/4 inch. Place the pan back in the oven and bake until fainá is golden and crispy about 8 to 10 minutes.Step 6
Remove the pan from the oven.Step 7
Cut the flatbread into pieces and serve hot. This recipe uses a 12-inch pizza pan. You can use a smaller pan to make thicker fainá, which will need a slightly longer baking time. Note that you will need the batter to rest at least 30 minutes before you bake it. It can be rested for longer, even overnight. While in South America this flatbread is served alongside or on top of pizza, it is also delicious to use as the base for pizza toppings. After baking the fainá, top it with cheese, meats, or vegetables and return it to the oven until the cheese has melted.