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Tortillas & Sopapillas

Lynn's Corn Tortillas

2 cups masa harina
1 1/4 cups hot but not boiling water
1 Tbs shortening

Masa harina (corn flour) can be purchased in most supermarkets. Quaker and Maseca brands are both excellent.

If you are lucky enough to have a specialty Mexican market nearby, you can purchase the masa dough freshly made and ready to press or roll out.

Directions:

Melt shortening in warm water. Mix masa flour with warm water until dough holds together well. Using your hands, shape dough into a smooth ball. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces then roll each into a ball. If using right away, divide the dough into equal portions - golf ball size and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. ( If making ahead for later use, wrap the whole ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day and then divide.)


To form the tortillas, place a portion of dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap/cling film.
Press with a tortilla press or roll out with a rolling pin into a circle 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Use your fingers to smooth any raggedy edges.
Continue with the remaining portions until the dough is used up.

To cook
Heat a heavy skillet, griddle or comal over high heat until it begins to smoke.
Peel the plastic wrap off a tortilla and place the tortilla in the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 30 seconds. Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute.
Turn again, and cook until the tortilla puffs a bit but is still pliable, not crisp, about 30 seconds more.
Remove and continue until all the tortillas are cooked.
Serve immediately as this is when they are the best.

This type of cornmeal tortilla containa no wheat gluten, they are an ideal bread alternative for those who are gluten intolerant.


Whatever you do, don't confuse corn flour with corn meal. Corn meal is made from a completely different process, and it simply won't work for tortilla making.

Tortilla-making tips:

When mixing the masa, mix all the Masa Harina with 1-1û4 cup of the water. You can work it with your hands, if you like. If it seems too dry, add additional water, a teaspoon at a time. Too much water, and you won't be able to peel the plastic off the tortilla; too little and your tortilla will be dry and crumbly. Unlike pastry dough, masa does not suffer from being over-handled.

The masa will dry out quickly. Keep it covered with a piece of plastic wrap/cling film or used waxed paper or greaseproof paperwhile making your tortillas.

Hold the pressed tortilla (with the plastic on both sides) in one hand. Peel away the top plastic from the tortilla (not the tortilla from the plastic). Flip it over into your other hand, and peel away the other piece of plastic.

Gently place the tortilla on the hot skillet or griddle. It should make a soft sizzling sound when you do. If your tortillas are not perfect circles, don't worry.
If your skillet or griddle is at the right temperature, a tortilla can be cooked in no more than 2 minutes.

The use of cast-iron utensils is important. You are cooking at high heat on a dry surface, and a lighter-weight utensil could warp.
Brown spots on your tortillas are good -- an indication that they are handmade, rather than
store bought.

Common sense always speaks too late.

- Raymond Chandler