Tortillas

Instructions

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To make whole-wheat tortillas, use the above flour
Tortilla recipe and substitute wheat flour for 1/4 to
2/3 of the white flour. Wheat flour is a little
Tougher, so the amount used is based on your personal
Taste.
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Mix the flour and salt. Mix in the lard by hand until
The mixture resembles small peas. Add the water slowly
Until you have a soft elastic ball. You may need to
Add a little more or less water, but do it slowly —
You may not really need as much water as you think you
Do. Knead until smooth. Cover with a damp towel and
Then let rest 15 minutes.

Make about 7-9 equal size balls. Flatten and roll each
Ball into a flat round disk, using a tortilla press
(put the dough between waxed paper) or a rolling pin.
Cook on a very hot cast iron skillet. No oil is
Necessary. Flip when bottom side is golden, the top
Should be bubbling slightly ute, all the white flour if you wish
But use less than called for.

Unlike four tortillas, corn tortillas usually do not
Contain any added oil. They can be made with corn
Flour, but the traditional recipe uses masa harina or
Masa flour. Masa harina is made from corn soaked in
Lime and then dried and ground into a powder — masa
Is a traditional ingredient in many dough containing
Latin American dishes, such as tortillas and tamales.

-Mix masa and water by hand until all of the tortilla
Mix is moistened and a dough forms. Add more water if
Necessary. Cover with damp towel and let rest 10
Minutes.
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Make a dozen 1-inch balls. Flatten and roll each ball
Into a tortilla.

Cook on a very hot cast iron skillet. No oil is
Necessary. Flip when the edge starts to stiffen and
The top looks dry. Use a spatula to lift the edge and
Check for doneness before flipping completely. Keep
The cooked tortillas warm by covering with a damp
Towel while you continue to cook.

Make a dozen 1-inch balls. Flatten and roll each ball
Into a tortilla.

Cook on a very hot cast iron skillet. No oil is
Necessary. Flip when the edge starts to stiffen and
The top looks dry. Use a spatula to lift the edge and
Check for doneness before flipping completely. Keep
The cooked tortillas warm by covering with a damp
Towel while you continue to cook—-Some tortilla cooking hints:

* Practice making tortillas before you make them for
Guests. Its not difficult, but it does take a few
Times before you get the “feel” for the dough.

* Only flip once. For some reason, they do not taste
Good at all if flipped several times during cooking.

* Don’t worry about a few burnt spots, they actually
Add flavor.

* Cast iron yields the best results for cooking.

* f the only tortillas you are familiar with come from
Taco Bell, you may not be aware that not all tortillas
Are paper thin. You may roll your tortilla to about ?
Inch thickness. Any thicker than that and the outside
Burns before the inside cooks. Thin tortillas are used
In fajitas and similar dishes. Thicker tortillas are
Common in soups and other dishes where they will be
Soaked.

* Don’t have a rolling pin? Try using a wine bottle or
Even an old clean broomstick.

* When rolling out a tortilla, some people find it
Easier/neater to put the dough ball in between two
Sheets of wax paper.

Another alternative is to put it in a small plastic
Bag and then flatten it out.

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