Tortillas are really just a flatbread minus all the scariness that the word bread carries with it. They are very quick in the world of breads and probably the easiest of all. You can roll them thick and make gyros and falafel styled sandwiches or make them thin and load them with vegetables and hot sauce. Not much else is tastier than cucumber sauce and whole wheat tortillas. SO good. I have tried dozens of variations (at least) over the years and a dozen recently to find a good ratio, good ingredients and the best result. My favorite of them all is below.
Ingredients: This recipe makes approximately one dozen 6-8 inch tortillas.
- 2 Cups flour (I use 1 Cup Whole wheat pastry flour, and 1 Cup unbleached white flour)
- 1 fat pinch of salt (not too much more than a teaspoon)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2-3 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2-3/4 cup hot water (as hot as you can do without boiling)
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Using the heel of your hand, knead the dough out to collect a little flour and then fold it back onto itself. Rotate this as you do it and it will become less sticky and trade that for silky. Once it has become completely silky and the texture is like a love handle or an ear lobe then you have a perfect dough. Wrap the dough disk in some plastic or slip into a plastic baggie (covered by a towel on a table is fine too). Let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Put the dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and roll out a disk to where it is still nice and thick (approx. 3/4 - 1/2 of an inch). Put it on a cutting surface and cut into 2" squares. Videos for help are available and I've included the links within the writing where it matches the video information.
You can then use a tortilla press to help flatten the dough quickly and without overworking. Or you can do all the rolling needed manually with a pin. I split the difference. I flatten it a bit with a tortilla press to get it started. When using a press plastic wrap or parchment paper between the dough and the wood or metal will help you in removing the tortilla and lessen the clean up. My press is a wooden version and cost 12 dollars new. Often you can find these at thrift stores like the Salvation Army and most folks don't know what they are unless it states so on the tag. Sometimes you can get them at ridiculously low prices used.
Anyhow, if you are rolling out the dough by hand or are planning on making more breads like this or any breads then I'd recommend using a "French" pin. I find them easier to use especially if you are wanting speed, or working with multiples (tarts and pastry dough too). French pins have a totally smooth tapered end with no separations for handles. Mine is a Polish pin, it cost 3.50 new from Pasta Works in Portland. No need to get too fancy... it's a piece of wood for crissakes!
Your tortillas should be thin enough that if you hold it on top of one of your hands it drapes nicely and takes your finger impressions into it. Once they are ready - have a pan warming. I cook mine on a med-High heat and I use a DRY (no oil, no butter) cast iron skillet. This means great things. It holds heat fairly evenly, stays hot for a long time, no added fat or waste of fat that can go in something else, and clean up is as simple as wiping the scorched flour dust out of it.
Carry your tortilla using your whole hand to support it, you don't want it to stretch or slip out of your fingers. Place your tortillas into the pan. It will take only a few seconds before you see little bubbles on the surface... once those appear then flip the tortilla, the second side will take even less time to cook and you can judge your pan's heat from the darkness of the bubbles or scorch marks. Adjust to your tastes. I like a little darkness in spots. Too much and it is carbon. None at all and it looks like packaged food. Variety is nice.
Brocoli Rabe and Sweet Potato tacos
On the right you can see the nation's 5th president, Lex Luthor.
These are good the next day without any fuss over them. I don't even bother heating them up again as they remain pliable as long as they are stored outside of the fridge overnight and covered. If you wish them to last longer you can refrigerate them. I haven't. If you see that you forgot them two nights out of the fridge after their debut, then you can cut them up and bake them to make little toasts for soup, salsa, salads and other meals that begin with 's'. These do not last long. They will mold. I would say within 5 days sooner if warm and humid. Unless you are sneaking some sort of preservative in there. Fresh or day old is the way to go with these.
Besides, now you're a master and can make them anytime so don't bother hoarding them! Cut the recipe in half if you don't want extras next time. MMMmmm.
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