Sarah’s Homemade Tortillas

While there are very good quality store-bought tortillas, like home made bread and pasta, home made tortillas are just a cut above.  They are worth the trouble, if you have time.

Servings: 19 - 4” tortillas

Ingredients:

2 cups masa

1 ½ cups warm water, plus more as needed

Pinch of salt

Special equipment:     Tortilla press

                                           Ziplock bag cut along the side

seams

Instructions:

1.        In a bowl, mix all ingredients, using your hands.  Continue mixing until you reach a playdough consistency.  Take 1 T. of dough from the mixture, roll into a ball and squish the ball between your fingers.  If the sides of the ball crack, return the ball to the bowl and add more water, one tablespoon at a time until subsequent balls no longer crack.

2.       Let rest for 20-30 minutes.

3.       Place skillet or griddle over medium-high heat

4.       With oiled hands, separate dough into 19 one ounce pieces (approximately 2 tablespoons) and roll into a ball.

5.       Place one side of the opened Ziplock bag on the center of the tortilla press.  Brush both sides of the bag with olive oil.

6.       Place the ball in the center of the bottom part of the press.  Fold the other have of the bag over the ball of dough, leaving plenty of space on all sides for the dough to expand while being pressed.

7.       Press lightly on the press to flatten.  Be careful not to press too hard.  Thinner is not better, really ever, but particularly not in tortilla making.  If it is hard to peel off the bag, it is probably too thin.  Squish the dough back together and start again.

8.       Press only as many tortillas as you have room to cook.  They must be cooked as soon as they are flattened.   Place each tortilla on the hot griddle as soon as it is pressed, and cook for 15 seconds.  Turn the tortilla over using a spatula, and cook on the second side for 90 seconds.  Turn for the final time and cook for another 15 seconds.  (As it cooks on this final turn, the tortilla should puff up and fill with air.  It will deflate as it cools.) Remove from heat and place on a plate.  Cover with cloth until ready to use.