Ingredients:
2 cups white flour
Whole wheat flour - as needed
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp lard (crisco will do)
1/2 - 1 cup warm water (100F or so is fine)
Directions:
There are a million ways to make tortillas.
This is the way I learned it from watching my grandmom cook them for many
years
Put the white flour, salt and backing powder in a
mixing bowl, and mix.
Add the lard, and crumble it into the dry mix until it has the consistency of
gritty sand. Add the warm water a little at a time, and gently mix it in with
the flour.
The amount of water that you will need varies depending on climate, altitude,
etc.. so experiment. Add just enough water so that the dough is slightly sticky.
You want it right at the point so that it just barely sticks to your hands.
Mix the dough gently, and do not kneed - kneeding will make the tortillas very
tough. Break the dough up into about 5 equal portions for a rolling pin.
I like to flour my rolling pin with whole wheat flour for a little variety.
Gently roll each portion out into round disks about 8-10 inches in diameter.
Getting them round takes some practice - don't be too frustrated if you don't
get it right away.
Heat an iron skillet over the stove. You don't want it so hot that water will
dance on it - a little cooler than that.
Put the tortilla into the skillet and let it cook for about a minute.
When the tortilla begins to bubble slightly, turn it over for about another
minute or two. When it is done, let it cool wrapped in a towel and cook the next
tortilla.
That's it!
This kind of tortilla is much fluffier than the
store-bought variety, but is not as 'foldable' (no good for burritos). They are
best eaten fresh.
I make tortillas about every other day - it is
incredibly easy and inexpensive. With practice, you can have enough delicious,
fresh homemade tortillas for a whole family meal cooked in 10 minutes. You can
use them as side bread for your next Mexican dish, or with honey it makes a
simple but yummy desert.
Muy delicioso!
Notes:
I use a 10 inch iron skillet for my
tortillas, and consider this the best surface. I have had very bad luck with
stainless steel, as the tortilla will stick to and burn the surface.
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