Let me share with you today, a grand secret. A secret so mind-blowing, so delicious, you won't be able to resist.
Homemade tortillas: not only are they easy, but they taste waaaaaay better than your store-bought brands (and cheaper!)
I can hear jaws hitting the floor. Since we (really, that should say "I") started making homemade tortillas, we have never once gone back to store-bought brands. And you will understand why, once you try these delicious, easy, and oh-so not plastic feeling tortillas.
They do take some arm muscle, but once you get the hang of it, it is easy street. Since we have been making this recipe for the past year or more, I have been wanting to try my hand at corn tortillas (the more traditional route when it comes to tacos and such.) However, I cannot find masa harina anywhere! Not even at the Bulk Barn. I might have to consider ordering it online. For now though, I will show you how to make these wonderful, soft, flour tortillas.
1) Sift flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low until combined (I used the paddle attachment, but the dough attachment would work, too.)
2) Add the shortening and mix until dough is crumbly and evenly distributed. Slowly add the hot water with the mixer on medium-low. When all the water is added, allow the mixer to continue for about a minute or so. The dough should be pliable and somewhat sticky (not overly so, but you will be rolling it out onto a floured surface.
3) Sprinkle flour onto your countertop. Pour out the dough and knead it shortly, separating into 12 even balls. Place the dough balls back into the bowl and cover with a towel, allowing to sit for 10 minutes.
(Still working on making them circular!)
4) Add more flour to your counter if necessary. Roll out one ball of dough at a time, working from the centre, outwards. You want them really thin, basically translucent. Have a damp cloth or paper towel ready to put the rolled dough under (you don't want them drying out.) When I have about 3 or 4 rolled out, I begin to heat my frying pan over medium (it takes me longer to roll out a tortilla then it does to cook one!)
5) When the pan is nice and hot, add one tortilla and wait until it begins to bubble. about 20 seconds, and then flip, cooking the other side until bubbly and browned slightly. Remove from heat and place under a dry towel. Repeat until all tortillas are cooked, continuing to stack the tortillas under the towel.
6) To store, place tortillas into a Ziploc bag and seal. They can remain on your counter for a couple of days.
The first time I tried this recipe, I failed. The dough wasn't right; they were quite hard after cooking. The secret is the water. You want it pretty hot because the shortening needs to melt. Before, I only added warm water and it didn't seem to do the trick. Trust me, play around with it. Sometimes you may need more water, but base it on the feel of the dough.
We use this recipe for tacos, burritos, and breakfast wraps. I should really start doubling and tripling the recipe to freeze extra tortillas. Easier to make them all at once and save time for future meals!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Flour Tortillas Tutorial
Yield:
12
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
25 minutes
A step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own homemade flour tortillas!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp. salt
- 5 tbsp. shortening
- ¾ cup hot water (you want to melt the solids.)
Instructions
- Sift flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low until combined (I used the paddle attachment, but the dough attachment would work, too.)
- Add the shortening and mix until dough is crumbly and evenly distributed. Slowly add the hot water with the mixer on medium-low. When all the water is added, allow the mixer to continue for about a minute or so. The dough should be pliable and somewhat sticky (not overly so, but you will be rolling it out onto a floured surface.
- Sprinkle flour onto your countertop. Pour out the dough and knead it shortly, separating into 12 even balls. Place the dough balls back into the bowl and cover with a towel, allowing to sit for 10 minutes.
- Add more flour to your counter if necessary. Roll out one ball of dough at a time, working from the centre, outwards. You want them really thin, basically translucent. Have a damp cloth or paper towel ready to put the rolled dough under (you don't want them drying out.) When I have about 3 or 4 rolled out, I begin to heat my frying pan over medium (it takes me longer to roll out a tortilla then it does to cook one!)
- When the pan is nice and hot, add one tortilla and wait until it begins to bubble. about 20 seconds, and then flip, cooking the other side until bubbly and browned slightly. Remove from heat and place under a dry towel. Repeat until all tortillas are cooked, continuing to stack the tortillas under the towel.
- To store, place tortillas into a Ziploc bag and seal. They can remain on your counter for a couple of days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 162Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 243mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
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