Homemade tortillas
Well, I watched multiple videos on Youtube and looked up dozens of recipes before I finally decided to take a little technique from each and try to do my own thing. The first batch of tortillas I made turned out so dry and had virtually no flavor. I think this is because I used olive oil rather than lard or shortening and not enough salt. I also didn’t let my dough rest at all after combining my ingredients. The second batch was still slightly dry, but overall a better tortilla. I used shortening this time, so that helped, but the tortilla was still a little bland and not as pliable as I would have liked. The third and fourth batches turned out the best so far. I have found a good combination of ingredients and technique! Shortening was used in the dough again, but I added a little more than is usually called for. I also added more salt than the last two attempts. My tortillas came out more pliable, not as dry and much tastier. Finally a tortilla to be proud of! Always know you guys, if you aren’t happy with the way something turns out, you always have the option to try this again and change things. Tweek everything until it is perfect for you. There is not one dish I make that I haven’t changed in some way. So here is the recipe I have landed on.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt, plus a healthy pinch
6 tbsp shortening
1 c very hot water
In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients to ensure they are well combined and you are getting all those large lumps out of your flour.
Add your shortening to the dry ingredients, then using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until it disappears, coating almost all of your flour with fat. Your mixture should look the consistency of cornmeal at this point.
Once you are done cutting in the shortening, add the water. Mix your dough briskly with a fork while you are pouring your water in slowly and mix until a dough forms. You will know your dough is formed when you squeeze it together and it stays formed.
Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough until it form a smooth ball. This only takes about one minute.
Place your dough back in the bowl, cover and let sit for about 30 minutes. We are letting the dough sit so the glutens start working to create a perfect elasticity.
Now that your dough has set, it’s time to divide the dough into equal parts. If you are making larger tortillas, cut your dough into 8 even pieces. For a smaller tortillas, cut your dough into 16 even pieces. Roll out your dough to at most ⅛ inch thick. Get these puppies as thin as you can without them ripping.
Heat an ungreased skillet to 400 degrees. Now that your skillet is hot, it’s time to add your tortillas. Fry for 30 seconds on each side. Your tortillas may fill with air. Don’t freak out, this is normal. In the end you want to have a fully cooked tortilla with brown spots on it that is light and pliable. Cover your finished tortillas with a towel until you are ready to serve.
Serve with your favorite filling. Tonight we are having steak fajitas with homemade fajita seasoning.
Thanks for cooking with me!
Ashley Tuttle
