Argentine deep-pan pizza: thick high-hydration dough baked in a square or round tin with mozzarella to the edge and a single topping or two. Faina (chickpea flour wedge) is the side, eaten on top of the slice.

Italian immigration brought pizza to Buenos Aires in the late 1800s. The Argentine al-molde style emerged with the great pizza rooms of the 1930s: Pizzeria Guerrin opened on Corrientes in 1932 and El Cuartito on Talcahuano in 1934. The Argentine version is deeper, more bread-like and topped with vast amounts of Argentine mozzarella. The fugazzeta (cheese-stuffed onion pizza) and fugazzeta rellena are local porteno inventions.

Where to eat Pizza al molde in Buenos Aires

4 editor picks for Pizza al molde in Buenos Aires, ranked by editorial score. All Buenos Aires signature dishes · Pizza al molde across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 305 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g bread flour (W=300)
  • 350g water (70 percent hydration)
  • 8g salt
  • 3g instant yeast
  • 20g olive oil, plus extra for the tin
  • 400g fresh mozzarella, torn
  • 200g good tomato sauce, lightly cooked
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Fresh basil leaves, to finish

Method

  1. Mix flour, salt and yeast. Add water and oil, mix to a shaggy dough, rest 20 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Knead or fold the dough every 20 minutes for 1 hour, then leave to bulk-ferment at 22C for 3 hours until doubled.
  3. Oil a 30cm deep pan or pizza tin generously. Stretch the dough to fit, push to the corners. Let it relax 30 minutes.
  4. Heat oven to maximum (250C-280C / 480-540F).
  5. Spread tomato sauce, sprinkle oregano. Bake 8 minutes until the base is set.
  6. Pull out, top with torn mozzarella to the edge. Bake another 8-10 minutes until cheese bubbles and edges are crisp.
  7. Finish with fresh basil. Cut into squares. Serve with a wedge of faina on top of the slice.

Editor tip. Argentine pizza is wetter and breadier than New York. Don't undermix; long rise builds the flavour.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.