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How to Make Flour Tortillas
Tortillas are one of those basic food items like bread in that almost everyone used to just make it themselves at home, but of course, as it has become easier to find commercially made tortillas in grocery stores and we seem to lead busier lives every day, the art of making homemade tortillas seems to have fallen by the wayside to some extent.
However, there is no reason not to make your own tortillas. Unlike baking bread, it really does not take all that much time or effort to do and the end result is definitely worth it. Even the best store bought flour tortillas pale in comparison to what you can easily make yourself in your own kitchen.
There are only a few ingredients involved and even if you have never done any kind of baking before, you will not have a problem having this flour tortilla recipe turn out just right. Give it a try and you will soon have your friends asking for your secret!
Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas
Ingredients -
3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
about 1 ¼ cups warm water
Preparation:
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shortening, cutting it into the dry ingredients with a fork or a pastry cutter until well blended. Add the water, just a little at a time until you have soft, but not sticky dough. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth and pliable. Separate the dough into 12-14 equally sized balls and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes while you heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
Roll out each dough ball using a rolling pin or tortilla press, dusting with a little flour to prevent sticking. Cook each tortilla for about 20-30 seconds per side, until they puff up slightly and brown in spots. Place each tortilla in a clean kitchen towel as it is finished to keep it warm while you prepare the others. Serve hot with the Mexican dishes of your choice or with anything else you like; they are especially good at breakfast time.
Photo Description:
There is really no secret to making great homemade flour tortillas, but they taste like there is. With less than half an hour of cooking, you can have fresh, warm flour tortillas which taste better than any you have ever had before - and you can easily make up another batch any time you like! They are just that easy to make. You can double or triple the recipe, but try not to make too much more than you will use in one or two days, since they do not keep terribly well; and besides, they are at their very best freshly made and hot. Once you learn how easy it is to make your own tortillas, you may never go back to store bought tortillas ever again.
