Tortillas - ( Flat Bread - Corn )

Classic Latin American Recipe

Makes: 12

Ingredients:
2 cups Instant Masa Harina (corn flour)
1 tspn. Salt
1/3 cups Cold Water

Procedure:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt, and gradually pour in 1 cup of water, stirring constantly. Knead the mixture with your hands, adding more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough becomes firm and no longer sticks to the fingers. If you have a tortilla press, break off small pieces of dough and shape them into balls the size of a walnut. Place one ball at a time between two 8 inch squares of wax paper, and press them into 5 to 6inch circles. Or divide the dough into 3 or 4 batches and, with a rolling pin, roll each batch between long strips of wax paper until the dough is about 1/16 inch thick. With a plate or pot lid as a pattern, and a knife or pastry wheel, cut the dough into 5-inch rounds. Stack the rounds between pieces of wax paper.

2. Preheat the oven to 250†. Cook the tortillas one at a time. Heat an ungreased comal, a cast iron griddle or a 7 to 8 inch cast iron skillet over moderate heat. Unwrap the tortilla and cook it for 2 minutes on each side, turning it once with a spatula when the bottom becomes a delicate brown. Adjust the heat if it browns too fast. As you proceed, wrap the tortillas, 4 or 5 at a time, in foil, and keep them warm in the oven.

3. Tortillas may be cooked ahead and kept warm in the oven for 2 or 3 hours: stack 10 together and wrap each batch with paper toweling, then with a damp cloth and finally in foil. To rewarm tortillas, brush both sides with water, and heat, one at a time, in a skillet for a few seconds.

Other Related Links:
Classic Latin American Recipes