Home-made tortilla (sharing success)

[Hyperion]

I made tortillas yesterday and it was so tasty that I could eat it alone by itself.

2 cups flour (weighint N ounces)
0.55*N ounces of milk
2-4 tbsp of cold butter, worked into the flour
1 tsp salt

Form a dough, knead until smooth and let rest for 30 minutes. then separate into 8 equal portion, roll each into a 7-8 inch round, place in a hot cast iron pan and let it burn

When it's done, I cover them immediately with plastic wrap so they becomes soft and moist and ready for fajita

 

[Andy M.]

Looks good. Congrats!

I'll have to try this sometime. Were you able to get them as thin as the commercial ones using a rolling pin?

 

[Hyperion]

Looks good. Congrats!

I'll have to try this sometime. Were you able to get them as thin as the commercial ones using a rolling pin?

it surprises me but it does get very thin. All you need to do is roll it out to at least 7 inches big and it'll be thin after you cook it.

 

[AmandaN80]

it surprises me but it does get very thin. All you need to do is roll it out to at least 7 inches big and it'll be thin after you cook it.

I made some and they were to thin

 

[Hyperion]

I made some and they were to thin

did your tortilla form pockets of air when cooked?

 

[CraigC]

did your tortilla form pockets of air when cooked?

That seems to happen with flour tortillas, even when done with a press. Never seen it happen with masa.

Craig

 

[Hyperion]

That seems to happen with flour tortillas, even when done with a press. Never seen it happen with masa.

Craig

its a good thing though, it makes the tortilla light and airy and the bubbles can easily browned which tastes good

 

[CWS4322]

When I make flour tortillas, I use a rolling pin covered with a "sock" and roll them on my Bethany Pastry Board Amazon.com: Bethany Pastry Board and Cloth Set: Home & Garden. I then cook them on my electric lefse griddle (also from Bethany--Heritage Grill). A lefse griddle heats to 500 F.

 

[Andy M.]

When I make flour tortillas, I use a rolling pin covered with a "sock" and roll them on my Bethany Pastry Board Amazon.com: Bethany Pastry Board and Cloth Set: Home & Garden. I then cook them on my electric lefse griddle (also from Bethany--Heritage Grill). A lefse griddle heats to 500 F.

To questions:

What does the sock on the rolling pin do?

Do you cook your tortillas at 500º F?

 

[CWS4322]

I don't know what the sock does--my grandmother taught me how to make lefse when I was nine (a long, long time ago--she died when I was 13 and she's been gone for almost 40 years--you do the math) and we always used the "flatbread" rolling pin with a sock on it. I use my regular rolling pin with a sock on it when I roll tortillas. I flour (season) the sock--the cloth on the board is also seasoned with flour. I don't know why we use the sock--but the dough doesn't stick. If you can see the "lines" on the board through the dough, it is "just right." Ditto for my grandma's flat bread recipe.

I start the griddle at 500 and adjust it down if the tortillas/lefse are browning too quickly (too many big spots, the "dough" is not cooking--it is easier to explain with lefse--too yellow because of the potatoes--lefse has leftover mashed potatoes in it. You don't want shoe-leather <g>, so if the griddle is too hot, you end up with shoe leather. It has to be pliable. I cook the tortillas as if they were lefse--they are, without the mashed potatoes...so if there are too many "brown" spots, I drop the heat. I don't mind a few little tan/brown spots, but I don't want to burn the tortilla/lefse. If I am counting too long, I up the heat. (one-thousand...to one thirty thousand, flip, and start over for the other side). That's how my grandma taught me to count to time lefse and it works for flour tortillas. Sorry, this is just one of those things that is "genetic."

I forgot to mention the special "lefse" turning stick...

 

[CWS4322]

Oh, and btw, that griddle is only used for lefse or tortillas. It is never oiled. Talk about a "dedicated use" kitchen appliance, the griddle (and krumkake iron) are in that class.

 

[CWS4322]

I also forgot to mention, when three drops of water "dance" across the griddle, it's ready. You also have to wipe the excess flour off with a paper towel between each lefse/tortilla to prevent any excess flour on the griddle from burning.

And wrap them in a damp kitchen towel as they come off the griddle.

These are the things my grandma taught me. And, not to brag, but she made the best lefse in the county. And mine's pretty darned close. And my tortillas are better than store bought--not bad for a Scandahoovian.

 

[chopper]

Some of my best kitchen skills were learned from my grandma's. Good for you for paying attention and learning so well. And, thanks for letting us learn some things from Grandma too.

 

[CWS4322]

You're welcome. My grandma was the one who taught me to love to cook--she was an amazing cook and baker. (Maybe cooking and baking are genetic--the pack rat gene seems to be!) I consider myself a rudimentary cook, maybe by the time I die, I'll be a good cook.

 

[CWS4322]

I made 6 tortillas on Saturday. We did not have (and still don't have) any water from the well (try having 4 dogs, 7 chickens, two people, and no water!). The water line ruptured. The DH is fixing it, but he's got about another 20 feet of 5' trench to dig...so, because we were STARVING and I hadn't made bread yet, I decided tortilla wraps were the way to go for lunch.

2 c flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp lard (you could use vegetable oil or shortening)
1-2 tsp chilpolte chili powder
2 tsp fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sea salt
2-3 - 3/4 c low-sodium club soda (I had no water) with 2 ice cubes (take the ice cubes out after you let the club soda chill for 5 minutes) and a squeeze (or more) of fresh lime

I cut the lard into the dry ingredients. I then added the chilled club soda and mixed the ingredients until they formed a ball (I used a fork). I then turned the dough out on my floured board, kneaded it about 5 minutes. Chunked off 6 balls of dough, rolled each to about 8-10 inch circles. In the background, I had my lefse griddle heating to 500. I cooked each tortilla for about 2 minutes each side (I didn't adjust the temperature), stacked them on a plate and covered the stack with a damp tea towel. In the meantime, the DH was pan frying thinly sliced rib steak, red peppers, onion, mushrooms, and a habernaro pepper with some cumin, more chilpolte chili, and garlic. We rolled the mixture in the tortillas with a topping of fresh avocado, tomatoes, onion, sour cream, fresh cilantro, green onion, and homemade salsa. We forgot to include the garden lettuce under the panfried mixture. The tortillas were very nice--light, spicy, and then we had to get back to figuring out what to do with the well. Obviously, we didn't figure it out. The point of this post is that adding some spice to the tortilla is very nice--and club soda works <g>. I wanted to add some tomato powder I'd picked up at The Spice Shop--but I couldn't remember where I'd put it. Oh well (ha-ha), next time.

And, btw, I heard on a cooking show that the difference in NA between cilantro and corriander is that the leaves are called cilantro and the seeds corriander. Don't know if that applies to the dried leaves or not. I'd never heard that before--I just figured it was a regionalism.

If you've never made tortillas, you have to play with the flour and water a bit. You don't want the dough too sticky, and you don't want it too stiff. For me, it's gotta be the "feel" of lefsa, soft dough that doesn't stick to the rolling pin or the board, but doesn't have too much flour. And, you need a paper towel to wipe the grill after you cook each one. My DH thinks I should make tortillas every week...

Oh--everything was rolled inside the tortilla.

 

[msmofet]

A regular white tube sock?
I had a pastry cloth pin cover and had to throw it away it never came clean.

I don't know what the sock does--my grandmother taught me how to make lefse when I was nine (a long, long time ago--she died when I was 13 and she's been gone for almost 40 years--you do the math) and we always used the "flatbread" rolling pin with a sock on it. I use my regular rolling pin with a sock on it when I roll tortillas. I flour (season) the sock--the cloth on the board is also seasoned with flour. I don't know why we use the sock--but the dough doesn't stick. If you can see the "lines" on the board through the dough, it is "just right." Ditto for my grandma's flat bread recipe.

I start the griddle at 500 and adjust it down if the tortillas/lefse are browning too quickly (too many big spots, the "dough" is not cooking--it is easier to explain with lefse--too yellow because of the potatoes--lefse has leftover mashed potatoes in it. You don't want shoe-leather <g>, so if the griddle is too hot, you end up with shoe leather. It has to be pliable. I cook the tortillas as if they were lefse--they are, without the mashed potatoes...so if there are too many "brown" spots, I drop the heat. I don't mind a few little tan/brown spots, but I don't want to burn the tortilla/lefse. If I am counting too long, I up the heat. (one-thousand...to one thirty thousand, flip, and start over for the other side). That's how my grandma taught me to count to time lefse and it works for flour tortillas. Sorry, this is just one of those things that is "genetic."

I forgot to mention the special "lefse" turning stick...

 

[Hyperion]

where do you buy pastry/cheese cloth from?

 

[Selkie]

Basic tortilla recipe is a no-brainer. If my daughter-in-law can do it daily (she's a Mexican National, and fixes delicious breakfast burritos for my son and grandsons every morning), then anyone can do it!

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (or enough to make the dough the right consistency)

In a large mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients and 1/2 of the water. Mix together with your hands and continue adding water into the dough until it forms a solid ball, but is not too sticky. If necessary, add additional flour or water as needed.
Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes. Cut the dough in half and then in half again, continuing until you have 8 equal portions.
Roll each piece into a ball. Place them on a lightly floured surface and cover with a damp towel.
Heat a griddle or cast iron pan to medium heat. Roll out the dough, one piece at a time to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness.
Place one round of dough on the griddle and cook on each side for about 30 seconds. Take care that the griddle is not too hot or the tortillas will scorch. Continue the process with the remaining 7 portions of dough.
​

 

[msmofet]

where do you buy pastry/cheese cloth from?

They are 2 different things.

cheese cloth (used for placing ingredients in like pickling spices, herbs and such like a bouquet garni (sp), tied and then placed in the pot during cooking) I buy in the supermarket
pastry cloth/rolling pin cover (used to cover a rolling pin, then dusted with flour and aids in rolling pastry/sticky doughs to keep them from sticking to the pin while rolling) I bought at a houseware/kitchenware store years ago but I can't remember the name.

 

[CWS4322]

I got my "sock" (it is not a regular sock, it is a "sleeve") from Ace Hardware. I wash mine all the time--it comes clean. But, I usually scrape it before I wash it. That's what my grandma did. Don't know if that makes a difference or not.