Recipe: Homemade Tortillas

I'm finally feeling better (adios morning sickness!) and have started to cook again this week. The first thing I did was burn a pot of beans so terribly that the house smelled awful for the rest of the day.

So...today, in an attempt to redeem myself from that unfortunate event, I tried out a recipe my parents had given me awhile back for homemade tortillas.

Now, tortillas - fresh tortillas - are easy to get here in Mexico, so over the years I haven't ever attempted to make my own. Perhaps this was motivated by laziness, or ignorance, or feelings of dread thinking that the whole tortilla making process would take forever.

But, I'm happy to announce I've proven all of those premonitions wrong today!

Here's how to make your own tortillas. As Mike says, after these, you may not want to go back to the store for tortillas ever again.

First, the ingredients:
2 cups of white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard, butter vegetable shortening at room temperature
3/4 cup hot water


Start by mixing the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix well.




When the dough begins to form a ball, you're ready for the next step.




Take out the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead it by hand for five to six minutes. During this time, you can think about what you're going to serve with the tortillas, what you're going to do after dinner, or if you're like me, how much your arms hurt after kneading for just two minutes.




After kneading, you should have a nice, pliable ball of dough.




Roll it out into a long tube.




Then cut the dough into 8 pieces.




Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Then cover the balls with a towel and let them sit for 20 minutes.




After 20 minutes, take a ball of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. You'll want the dough to be about 1/8-inch thick. Place it on an ungreased cast-iron skillet on medium heat. If you need to, shape it a little or spread it out with your fingers. Then let it cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Flip the tortilla and let it cook for another 30 seconds to a minute (you can vary this time depending on your stove. Having some brown spots on the tortilla is a good sign - it indicates it's cooked through). Repeat this step with the remaining pieces of dough.




And when you're finished, you'll have 8 freshly made tortillas! Serve with cheese for a quesadilla meal, or as burritos stuffed with meat, cheese, veggies and salsa, or with soup - I could go on. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

Here's an easier form to copy and print off:

2 cups of white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard, butter vegetable shortening at room temperature
3/4 cup hot water

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl with a whisk or fork (I used a spoon). Then add the lard - or whatever you're using - and hot water. Mix by hand until mixture begins to stick together. Then, on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough by hand for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Roll the dough out into a long, cylinder-like shape, then cut the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a round ball; cover with a towel and let sit for 20 minutes.

3. Heat a cast-iron frying pan to medium heat (don't grease the pan). Take a ball of dough, and on a lightly floured surface, roll it into a large circle. You'll want the dough to be about 1/8-inch thick.

4. Place flattened dough on to the skillet, spreading it out if needed. Wait 30 seconds to a minute, or until small brown spots form on the underside of the dough. Flip and let cook for another 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat with each ball of dough. Serve warm. Makes 8 tortillas.