Flour Tortillas
Homemade tortillas are a thing of beauty especially as a vehicle for breakfast tacos, but they’re also delicious simply on their own slathered in butter. Flour tortillas are the humblest expression of southern Texas cuisine, and vary in size and texture from family to family. I grew up enjoying one of two styles depending on which grandmother made the tortillas. My Memo Anita used a ‘bakers rolling pin’ with two handles connected by a center dowel to make her thin, soft and tender tortillas. Memo Tives used a 16-inch section cut from a broom handle to make her tortillas which were a little smaller and a little thicker, making for a heartier tortilla. You can roll the tortillas out to your preferred size and thickness.
My Memo Anita would make tortillas and pinto beans for many of the family members on Wednesdays. Everyone would stop by after work and pick up their stack of tortillas and a container of beans for the week. Her love of cooking and generously sharing her tortillas is probably part of the reason why many of us haven’t learned to make flour tortillas. Her tortillas were cooked, but a little on the pale side so that simply reheating them on a comal or directly over the stovetop flame was all that was required for soft, pillow-y tortillas. Tía Estella recalls Memo Anita, her mother-in-law, rolling the tortillas and placing the uncooked tortillas between wax paper for her to easily cook them for my uncle Mario. My family jokes about the fact that making tortillas is an inherited art form that has skipped some of us in our family. For this reason, I’ve made a point to write a detailed recipe to ensure your success.
FLOUR TORTILLAS
YvetteZunigaJemison.com
Makes 20 6-inch tortillas
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Rolling pin, comal
1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer and immediately remove from the heat.
2. Mix the flour, salt and the baking powder in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
3. Rub the shortening into the flour, with your fingers, until it is evenly distributed throughout the flour.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour. Slowly pour the hot water and mix with your hands until the water is absorbed and the dough forms.
5. Knead the dough, on a generously floured surface until smooth and very elastic, about 5 minutes.
6. Divide the dough into 20 ping-pong size balls (about 2 ½ tablespoons), and shape each dough ball into a 2-inch disc. Place the discs in the bowl, and cover with a dishtowel. Let rest, at room temperature, 1 hour to relax the dough.
7. Heat a comal, griddle, cast iron skillet or a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
8. Lightly flour your countertop and rolling pin. Use the rolling pin to roll out one disc at a time to a 6-inch round. Keep the remaining discs covered.
9. Place the rolled out dough on the heated comal, griddle or skillet, until it is brown in spots on the bottom side, 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat if its browning too quickly. Flip the tortilla and cook until brown in spots on the other side, 1-2 minutes. Stack the tortillas, as you go, wrapping them in a dish towel or a tortilla warmer. Repeat with the remaining dough.
MAKE AHEAD
The cooled tortillas can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Reheat the tortillas without oil, one at a time, on a comal or cast iron skillet, turning until warm and pliable. Alternately, place the tortillas, one at a time directly onto the flame of a cooktop and flip it frequently until the tortilla is warm and the edges are charred, about 10 seconds.
