This cooking every meal, every day, is quite a cooking challenge. As much as I love to cook, I also love to go out to dinner! Well, the last part of that statement is on hold for now. So, back to the drawing board to decide what to cook for dinner. I was thinking Mexican, but hard to have a Mexican dinner without tortillas. I did remember a recipe I picked up when we lived in Texas for flour tortillas. Out it came and it was time to try making flour tortillas! I had all of the ingredients on hand and figured that this was the perfect day to make tortillas. The dough is surprisingly easy to prepare and the results are fantastic. I think my rolling technique will improve with practice, it is hard to roll them out into a perfect circle. However, that is the joy of something being homemade as opposed to manufactured. A great project during this day at home.
Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 tablespoons shortening
- 3/4 cup very hot water
Instructions
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I prepared this in my Kitchenaid mixer with the wire whisk.
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in the mixer and whisk. Add the shortening and mix on medium speed until the shortening is the size of peas. (This can also be done with a pastry blender or with your hands, if not using a mixer) Slowly add the hot water and combine until it forms a dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface, knead, until smooth. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray, and cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Divide dough into 10 – 12 balls about the size of a golf ball. Cover and let rest for an additional 20 minutes. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Flour the surface you will be rolling them on. Roll each ball into an oval and then turn and roll, turn and roll until you have a circle. The dough should be very thin. Put the tortilla in the hot pan and cook approximately 30 seconds per side, the dough will puff and have golden brown spots; that is when it is time to flip the tortilla. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the tortillas with a towel to keep warm or wrap in foil.