Need a Tortilla Recipe

[comissaryqueen]

When I lived in AZ I used to get tortillas from a tortilla shop, they were paper thin, warm, and greasy. In other words delicious. Anyone have a good recipe?

 

[Shunka]

Here is the recipe I use:

4 c. sifted all purpose flour
2 tsp. Salt
½ c. lard or shortening
1 cup warm water
Cut the lard/shortening into the flour-salt mixture. Add the water slowly, mixing with your hands until a ball forms. Make sure all of the flour is moistened.
Knead until the dough is smooth and pliable enough to stretch. Grease your hands and pinch off egg sized balls and set in the bowl. Cover and let set for 15-30 minutes. Shape and roll out dough to the thickness you want. Cook on an ungreased griddle on each side about 20-30 seconds each.

 

[comissaryqueen]

Shunka, do you use a tortilla press? I was told that's how you get them so thin.

 

[Shunka]

I roll them out with a rolling pin; never did get the hang of doing it with just my hands. You can get them very thin with a rolling pin. It will take some practice to get them to look like a perfect circle, but then those that are a perfect circle are not home-made!!

 

[TexasBlueHeron]

Tortilla presses are for corn tortillas. For the flour tortillas, a rolling pin is best. Homemade is so delicious! You can even make the dough a day ahead, separate into balls and refrigerate. Just bring up to room temp before rolling out. As you roll out each tortilla (since you'll be making a few at a time) place each one between a sheet of plastic wrap to keep them separated. You'll know they're done when nice brown spots begin to form. As the tortillas puff up, keep pressing them down. As you remove each one from the griddle, place it in a warm clean dish towel until ready to serve.

 

[urmaniac13]

A few weeks ago we tried make these ourselves, used a recipe pretty much identical to Shunka's. We were out of lard so used olive oil, probably lard would have been better. Also we were rather pressed with time, so didn't bother with "resting", we just kneaded the dough and flattened and cooked them right away, it didn't seem to have any noted effect from lack of resting, they were delicious. So easy and quick to make too, we will be doing this often instead of buying the ready made!!

 

[cartwheelmac]

We use olive oil instead of lard/shortening.

Cameron

 

[Shunka]

Letting the dough rest helps to make it easier to roll out later. I tried using an oil instead of shortening or lard and the results just were not as good. My family could tell the difference in texture and refused to eat them; so it was back to making them the way I always had before.

 

[comissaryqueen]

I agree Shunka. Lard must be used.

 

[Mr_Dove]

Okay, lard is better than Olive Oil but how about Lard vs. Shortening?

 

[Debbie]

did you use lard or shortening shunka?