Tortillas

Warm, fresh tortillas are a staple that many Southerners take for granted.  Restaurants throughout the South make their own tortillas, and many grocery stores in Texas make their tortillas on site. By contrast, England’s grocery stores, if they have them at all, stock only overpriced, flavorless ‘wraps’ and packaged tortillas full of preservatives. These are not the real thing, and I refuse to eat them or serve them to guests!

stack of homemade tortillas ready to serve

This tortilla recipe is very easy. Though they do take a few minutes to mix up, roll out, and cook, they are tasty and you have the assurance of knowing exactly what they contain. If you have masa flour (a Mexican flour made of corn) on hand, use a cup of that as part of the 4 cups of flour called for; if not, use a cup of wheat flour as a part of the flour– it gives the tortillas a more distinct taste.   

homemade tortillas cooking on my grandmother's griddle

Make sure the griddle is very hot for the first tortilla, or it may stick to the pan. (Trick my mother taught me: fling some water on the pan, if the drops dance across the griddle, it’s hot enough). You may have to turn the heat down a bit after cooking your first few if they start to brown too quickly.

I often cook tortillas on a separate griddle alongside fajita meat, timing it so that I’m finished cooking the last tortilla just as the fajita meat is ready.

Tortillas

makes about 8 tortillas

4 cups flour (or 3 cups flour and 1 cup masa flour; or 3 cups flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1  1/4 to 1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in oil with a biscuit cutter or a fork. Mix in enough water to form a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5 or 6 times, until dough comes together. With floured hands, roll dough into egg-sized portions.  Let the dough portions sit for 15 minutes.

Using a rolling pin or a tortilla press, flatten each dough portion into a thin circle. Cook on a skillet over high heat for about 1 minute on each side or until little dark spots begin to appear and the dough is cooked through.

As you are cooking the tortillas, pile finished tortillas in a tortilla holder or on a plate covered with a dishtowel to keep them warm and soft.

Place any leftover tortillas in a bag in the freezer. To defrost, microwave for about 30-45 seconds on medium-high.