Corn Tortillas

Roosie's Note:

Home-made corn tortillas! Great for home-made corn chips, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas--everything! A money-saver too, considering how much chips and store-bough tortillas can be. Prep time includes 30 minutes "sitting time."

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 16.0 tortillas

• 2 cups masa harina flour (corn flour)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Mix flour and salt, then add warm water.
2. Knead until a soft dough forms, adding more water or flour as needed.
3. Tightly wrap dough in plastic wrap and let sit for 10-30 minutes.
4. Divide dough into about 16 balls, about 1/2-inch in diameter each.
5. Place each ball between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper and roll into 5-inch round using a rolling pin, heavy flat-bottomed pan or tortilla press (available at cooking. com[http://www. cooking. com/products/shprodde. asp? SKU=116136]).
6. If the edges of the tortilla are uneven and crumbly, the dough needs a little more water.
7. If the dough sticks to the waxed paper and it is very soft, add a few tablespoons of flour.
8. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving each tortilla between the sheets of waxed paper.
9. Heat an ungreased cast iron griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
10. Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper and invert the tortilla into the hot pan, quickly and carefully peel off remaining wax paper.
11. Cook tortilla until stiffened, about 30 seconds; turn for 1 minute or until it is lightly browned, then turn to the first side for 30 seconds.
12. The cooking time for each tortilla should be less than 2 minutes, do not cook until crispy.

Reviews

[Chef #379453]

I have been using this same recipe for years and we LOVE it! But believe me, don't leave out the salt! Using this recipe, I now make my enchilladas "grandma" style. Stacking enchilladas,lasagna style, like we learned while living in New Mexico, instead of rolling makes great individual casseroles. Yummie!

[Erin R.]

Oh, YUMMY! Thanks for the detailed instructions, they made it quite easy. Funny, it never dawned on me to make my own tortillas until I spotted a metal tortilla press for sale on a very top shelf at Rancho Market. I have made them twice now, and found that the addition of about 1/8 t. to 1/4 t. of xanthan gum to the flour makes them a little less likely to disintegrate. There really is no comparison with the store bought ones. These are tender and chewy, rather than stiff and dry. I can't wait to have one with mashed pintos and tabasco for dinner tonight.

[i and s]

This is pretty much the recipe from the Masaca bag, but less water. I like it a bit dry because it's easier to roll and peel. I like to roll on a masa dusted silicon baking mat and use half a zip-top bag on the top (Mexico style). I roll exclusively with a wine bottle. Great variation is to substitute 30% wheat flour (#118085). Can also be made with PAN from Venezuela -- a precooked corn meal, that is not soaked in cal/slacked lime. Increase the water to 1:1. PAN tortillas are a bit tender and crumbly -- add flour for strength.