Thursday, July 7, 2011

How to make homemade Mexican tortillas

Flour Tortillas (Mexican style ;) ..)

Ingredients~
3/4 pound (2-3/4 cups ) all purpose flour, plus a little extra for rolling the tortillas
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening,
about 3/4 cup hot tap water

How to make--rub vegetable lard or shortening into the flour using your fingers to knead it. Put the salt in the water mix around a bit so it will disolve into the water.
Mix the water into the flour little by little until you form a stiff-like dough. make sure there is hardly any "Powdery" parts left, as in try to mix it all together. add some flour to your counter top/table or hard/sturdy work station, add the dough on top of the flour surface and kneed it for about 10-15 minutes until it is elasticy feeling and looking.

Break the dough up into smaller pieces that look like round "balls" about slightly smaller than a tennis ball. Make sure to cover them up in a bowl with a cloth over it or some sort of cover so that it doesn't dry up on you while you are making each individual tortilla. After all the dough has been rolled up into balls by you cover it all up and let it sit for about 20-25 minutes.
 After dough balls have sat for a while remove one at a time to work on. You will remove a ball for example and put it on the floured surface than you will need to use a "rolling pin" available where Mexican stores or pizaa shopping sections are located). Spread it oout evenly and VERY thinly while making sure to keep the "tortillas" look...ie...a evenly round shape

Start heating up your "Comal" this is like a pancake griddle or something let it get really hot--you can now add the tortillas-no more than 2 at a time so they will fit and not burn, make sure you set the heat down to medium. Cook the tortillas on each side for about 40-60 seconds to 1. The tortilla will start to have 'brown spots or hot air pockets **Caution those are VERY hot and the steam CAN burn you!**


Take your tortillas out and place them in a tortillera (Tortilla warmer or a very clean kitchen cloth to maintain the tortillas heat and softness...eat with your favorit meal or simply add butter for nice warm memories of your childhood or simply for a great taste...ENJOY!~Holly