I just filmed a flour tortilla video for About.com, but since I'm not sure when it will air, I thought I would post this video I found on Youtube, which uses the same basic recipe.It stars the lovely and talented Blanca Díaz. She doesn't do a voiceover, but this is a very well done, and easy to follow clip. I hope she inspires you to make some homemade tortillas. Enjoy!
28 comments:
Home-made flour tortillas are amazing. I just can't buy store-bought anymore, I've spoiled myself :)
I've been waiting for something like this for a long time....the definitive flour tortilla how to....
Thank you Chef!
How about corn tortillas? Would the recipe be similar?
no, actually corn are much trickier. I may post a video to show the diff.
Nice demo! While I love the flavor and texture that shortening/lard adds to flour tortillas, I can't always stomach the fat content. Another recipe I've run into is just a little more heart-healthy. It just involves 2 cups AP flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp vegetable oil, and 3/4 cups warm milk. It's not as luxurious, but it gets the job done. Either way - I don't know what I would do without flour tortillas.
I am not keen on vegetable shortening - it is flavorless like wax and happens to be quite unhealthy. I wonder what would a spoon of beef tallow do in the recipe - maybe it would make it taste more like steaks! I hear that in Argentina they use tallow even in chocolate cookies, and their tallow-fried French fries are the most luxurious in the World.
Trust me, it's WAY better to use Pork Lard than Vegetable shortening, not only because of the flavor but also because vegetable shortening clogs arteries much more so than animal fats. Also, it's important to salt the flower considerably and it's better to break down the lard into the flower using a fork BEFORE adding the super hot (about 150 degree) water.
my 2 cents
THOSE INGREDIENTS ARE MEXICANS!!!!
YES!!!
That looks sooo good. Can someone please make it for me? It looks hard to make :O( I love homemade tortillas, my office-mate use to make it for us at work and I just love it with butter. Blanca, thank you for sharing your recipe.
John
1.Can the kneading be done in a food processor or KA? (don't like the feeling of tacky wet flour caking up on fingers)
2.Why must shortening be used as the fat?
3.At what stage do the tortillas be freezable? Raw or cooked?
Thank you for answering.
1. sorta but never as good as hands
2. any semi-solid fat will work (see other comments)
3. freezes better cooked
I am ashamed that I just spent $4.99 on a giant pack of flour tortillas at the market when I could have made some myself!
Bread has gotten too expensive for what it is so I'm baking most of my breads now (on a rustic potato rosemary boule kick). I'm also making my own mayo using your stick blender method (best technique ever!!!) to go on that homemade bread.
Unfortunately my wrists are getting a little arthritic - so as much as I like to feel the bread, I'm trying to figure out the in's and outs of KA and food processor kneading.
Last weekend I baked lavash crackers and jalapeno cheese bread. This has inspired me to make flour tortillas this weekend.
How key is the baking powder? I had some "tortilla flour" but no baking powder, am I right in assuming that this "tortilla flour" has leavening agents mixed in? Oh well, the proof will be in the pudding (or rather, tortilla) as it's rising (or maybe not) right now, and I'll be cooking them in about 10 minutes...
not sure, I've never heard of tortilla flour. the BP is very important
Hello! What a surprise to find my video here! Thank you for posting it to your blog. I hadn´t noticed it was embedded here until today.. I feel honored and grateful. I hope this simple attempt encourages people to make their own tortillas and enjoy a delicious food, like my family and I have enjoyed as a traditon for generations on saturday mornings. =)
You're welcome! It's a great video!
Which is better way to reheat the tortillas after freezing them?
oven or hot pan or both?
thanks for your answering ^^
I wrap in foil and heat in the oven, but a pan works
Just made these tortillas and I must say, the best tortillas I have ever made. Hands down! Best of all, they tasted great. They weren't "floury" as most homemade tortillas I've had. I have found the thinner you roll 'em, the better. Also, don't forget to use flour while rolling otherwise they'll stick. Thank you for posting Blanca's video.
Thanks for posting a great looking tortilla recipe.
Q1-Can you be more specific in naming the "vegetable oil" and "vegetable shortening"?
Q2-I have Safflower oil and some type of packaged margarine (Parkay?) available without going shopping - can I use either of these?
Q3-What is the temperature of the "hot water" - can it be too hot?
Thanks again - I'm looking forward to making these soon!
yes, the oil will work, but shortening (like Crisco) is not the same as margarine. The water should be like hot bath water. enjoy!
Can I make the balls in the moriningand cook them right before dinner. Or should I cook them now and reheat them later.
Your microwave is ideal for reheating flour tortillas. Take a clean, dry hand towel and fold it in half. Put two tortillas inside. Zap on High for twenty seconds. Flip them over and zap for 5-10 more seconds for even heating.
You can heat 8 or 10 tortillas at once this way, just flip pile inside out and zap a couple more times. Experimentation will give you a sense of the time.
This method is also really great because when you take them out of the microwave, they are snugged in the warm towel and can be put right on the table, where they retain their warmth for a suprising amount of time.
Done like a pro!
Can you use bacon fat instead of shortening or use 1/2 bacon fat 1/2 shortening?
Never tried, but probably!
I have made homemade tortillas for years and we love them. My kids would eat them plain instead of some other kind of snack. I have a recipe on http://verytasty.us/fried-tortillas/ . Hope you like it too
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