When I tell people I make tortillas from scratch the response I get is usually either, "Aren't they like $2 at the store?" or "Gee, I wish I had time for that." Both points are valid, but once you eat homemade tortillas you will understand my madness. Seriously. Consider it a challenge.
First,
this is the recipe I use. Really, this dough can make any flatbread in general, like naan. Here's what you need to make tortillas: flour, salt, water, baking powder, and fat. I use organic shortening, but I hear lard is the best fat to use.
Oh, you'll also need an apron if you're like me and make a huge mess. This one is my favorite. A stand mixer is also helpful, but hands will work fine, as well.
First, mix the flour, salt, and fat either in a mixer or by hand until it looks like coarse crumbs. Side note: the recipe calls for only 2 tablespoons of fat. I add one more after reading lots of recipe reviews.
Next, dump in water and knead by hand or with a dough hook. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
At this point, you can cover the dough and leave it alone for however long, even a few hours. It won't hurt it to sit if you need it to. Cut the dough into even (or sort of even) pieces. I find a bench scraper particularly helpful with this step.
Make sure to cover the pieces you aren't working with, or they will dry out. I use a folded piece of foil, but a towel would work.
Roll each chunk of dough into a flat shape; maybe your tortilla will be round or maybe it will be more square. Perfection isn't important. No matter what your tortilla looks like it will taste delicious.
Cook each tortilla in a hot pan, preferably cast iron. I set my burner to medium heat, but my stove isn't the greatest. It heats very uneven and is unpredictable. You want the pan hot enough to get the tortilla lightly brown after about a minute, not burnt. You will see little bubbles on the tortilla as it cooks. When the first side has browned a little, flip the tortilla. Do NOT cook the tortilla too long or it will be dry.
Keep the tortillas covered as you cook all the dough or they will dry out.
This whole process from mixing to cooking all the tortillas will take about an hour if you make all 24 tortillas (why wouldn't you??). Yes, you can buy tortillas for $2 at the store. A few weeks ago I decided to buy a bag of tortillas because I was in a hurry. Guess what? None of my family would eat them. They all complained about how gross the quesadillas were and asked me why they tasted so bad. I've ruined my children.
Let me know how your tortilla adventure goes!
