Homemade Flour Tortillas

Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Breads

I learned how to make tortillas from a friend, Juanita Sorez, in Freemont, Texas. She is an amazing woman with an enormous heart. Every week, my friends and I would gather at her house to eat, play the guitar and shoot some pool. To be honest, I have never been able to copy hers exactly, making me wonder if she was holding out on me. But, after years of practice I finally figured it out.

Making tortillas is still fun for the whole family. The little kids like to get their hands messy mixing the dough. The older kids can roll or cook the tortillas. Whenever we make tortillas, we share the first one off the griddle with butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp.  salt
4-6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
about 1 1/4 cups warm water

Mix flour, powder and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer until crumbly.

Cut in shortening using a fork, pastry cutter, hands or dough hook.

Add warm water a little at a time until the dough starts to pull away form the sides of the bowl if using a mixer. Or until the dough is soft but not sticky if using hands.

(do not add too much flour or the dough will be too tough)

Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth.

Divide the dough into 12 balls. Place back in the bowl. Sprinkle with a little flour. Let sit covered with a cloth for 10 minutes.

Heat dry pan on med-high. When the pan is hot, roll dough on floured surface; turning slightly after each roll until thin enough to slightly see through.

Place tortilla on the heated pan for a few seconds, until small bubbles form. Flip over and cook the other side. (Do not cook too long or the tortillas will become hard and tough.)

Place in a tortilla warmer or a large pot lined with a dish towel to keep warm. Makes 12 tortillas

Technorati Tags: burritos, cinco de mayo, food, mexican, tacos, tortillas

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