We were just talking the other day about how Aileen’s family goes through tortillas like crazy which made me think….
“Why are we buying these things? They can’t be THAT hard to make.”
We are both all for being able to make something that doesn’t have all the chemicals “unpronounceable ingredients” in it.
Here is a recipe for flour tortillas that I found originally at Jazibe’s Recipes.
Easy…easy…easy!
Flour Tortillas
These are not very flexible when cool so try to warm them before using them.
makes about 35 tortillas about 6 inches in diameter
1 kilogram of Flour (all purpose OR whole wheat) + 1 cup for rolling surface (=2.2 lbs, OR 8 cups)
1 1/2 cup melted lard
1 tbsp. Baking powder
2 tbsp. Salt (or less)
1 1/2 cup warm water (as hot as you can handle to mix with your hands)
- Mix your dry ingredients
- Make a “hole” in the middle of your “mountain” of flour.
- Add oil (or melted vegetable lard) and water and start mixing .
- When the dough is firm enough to handle, knead it a bit on a flat surface.
- “break” pieces off the dough (about the size of a golf ball) by squeezing it with your thumb and index finger (like you’re choking it :))
- Make several round balls (called “testales”), and place them on a floured surface (cookie sheet works great).
- Let the testales rest for about 30 mins. to 1 hour covered with a damp towel.
- Place a testal on a floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and roll. Whatever technique you use for rolling… just spread them enough so they are bout 6 inches in diameter. (do not try a tortilla press for flour tortillas 🙂 It just doesn’t work)
- Cook your tortillas on a “comal”, flat griddle or skillet at medium heat (mine was on 6 on an electric stove). You don’t need to oil the skillet (there’s enough oil in there).
- Just like with pancakes, the 1st one is never good, but the rest are delicious.
- You can pile up the uncooked tortillas, they won’t stick. (but not more than 5, and keep them far from the hot stove, otherwise they DO stick together)
- It takes about 1 minute to cook on the 1st side (you will see some bubbles appear on the surface, this is normal), then you turn and press with it down with a flat turner to make a bubble again it takes about 30 seconds on the second side. Do not overcook or they will turn hard like cookies. delicious cookies, but not good for burritos.
To freeze or refrigerate, make sure you cool them spread out on a flat surface before bagging them.
Two Southern Sweeties 