Thursday, September 20, 2012

Flour Tortillas - from scratch

Have you ever tried to make your own tortillas?  This is the best thing I've ever done in my kitchen.  We love them and was so glad to find a recipe to start on my own.  It's very simple and you roll out like any other dough.  Once you get the hang of it, you can get it 2 batches done in 30 minutes or less!
more photos: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.155895107799152.48260.154006707987992&type=1
(some girlfriends and I started Eco Friendly Girlfriends club, and this link is to our facebook page we share pictures and other info - feel free to like while you are there)

I use an electric mixer with the dough hook.  Adding the flour and salt together first.  Then the water until mixed well.  Adding the oil last.  I use EVOO, I like the taste better.  Once combined, I dump it all on the rolling mat, separate the dough into workable balls.  The smaller the ball, the smaller the tortilla.  A nice size in your hand would equal a burrito size tortilla.  I flour the ball and put it back into the mixer bowl until the dough is all "balled" up.  Just making it an assembly line.  Using a flat pan, start the burner to get the pan hot, on a medium heat or they will burn.   Then I take one ball out, flour the mat, flatten a bit with my hand and start rolling.  Once rolled out, put on the pan to cook.  It will bubble up and that is when you know to flip it.  While it's cooking, I'm rolling out another.  Once the 2nd is ready to cook, the bubbles have formed and I can flip it for a second or 2 cooking on the reverse side.  Take it off completely to cool and place the next one on the flat pan.  I use a Tupperware pie taker to store mine in.  My mom taught me that trick when we were growing up.  The Tupperware freezes too, so when I make enough to freeze, off they go to the freezer without having to use baggies, personal preference.
My sister in law and I made these for our end of the year gift to teachers last year, so be did baggie them up, and they do freeze just fine.  We froze them as we went along and pulled them out on the last week of school to hand out along with the recipe to make more of their own.  I wonder if anyone did?

I use flour from Whole Foods.  I have tried flour from Sams (in bigger quantity to save money) and whatever you get from the regular grocer, and noticed an incredible difference when switching to Whole Foods 365 brand.  I've also tried whole wheat, and 1/2 and 1/2.  It didn't go over as well in my house, and the 100% whole wheat was a bit hard to roll into anything (it would break).  We make a lot of quesadillas and roll-ups in this house.

The recipe I use religiously: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,2357,154176-235203,00.html

I love making these so much, my kids got me a tortilla press for Mother's Day a few years ago.  I tried and tried to use it, but it's not for me.  It sits in my pantry unused.  My girlfriend has one and loves it.  So, to that.. I say, give it a try, but see if you can borrow one first :0)

Have fun and tell me if you tried it.. I really want to know!  I've even done tortilla making parties at my house to for people to see how easy it is to do!

1 comment:

EmcHealthy said...

I must be doing something wrong...tried to make some using masa harina flour..never turns out "right"....going to try your recipe!