Monday, June 17, 2019

Flour tortillas from scratch

I make a lot of Mexican food, but had never made flour tortilla's from scratch.  I used to buy a mix by Quaker but can no longer get it, and in fact the only place I seem to find it is online, in rather large quantities.
So, I'm been making flour tortillas from scratch for a few weeks now, I've experimented and played with several recipes and I now have one that I think is as close to the mix as possible.
And this time round I had a happy accident.

Actually I think it was rather fortuitous.

I grabbed the bread flour and measured out a cup first, realized it, but then decided to go ahead and use it anyway, and then added the AP flour.

Flour tortillas from scratch
And it worked very well.
So well in fact, that I figured the recipe was ready to share here.
The dough.
Flour tortillas from scratch
 It should be fairly soft, but still hold together.
Flour tortillas from scratch
 After the first roll out, I cover them and let them rest, this lets the gluten relax. 
Flour tortillas from scratch
 If you don't do it, the tortilla will go "OOOOOH" and shrink up a little when it's placed in the pan.
Flour tortillas from scratch
 That little piece to the side, is for the cook for tasting purposes.
Flour tortillas from scratch

And this one was rolled out very thin, and not allowed to rest, so it shrunk into itself a little.
Still tasted good though.
Flour tortillas from scratch



Flour Tortilla
Flour tortillas from scratch

Yield: 6-12 tortillas, depending on size and thickness
Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from several recipes
prep time: 45 Mcook time: total time: 45 M
We like a thicker tortilla and these cook up very nicely. Leftovers can be frozen if desired, but we usually eat most of them.

ingredients:

  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1 1/4 cup AP flour (plus more if needed)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon  vegetable oil (generic brand works great)
  • 3/4 cup + 1-2 tablespoons warm water

instructions:

How to cook Flour Tortilla

  1. Using a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients. If the dough looks a little dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it looks a little wet, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. Honestly, you sometimes need more of one or the other, depending on the humidity level, and age of the flour.
  2. Using the dough hook, mix all the ingredients for about 5 minutes. The dough will be soft, but will not cling to the sides of the bowl. Take out of the bowl and wrap tightly with cling wrap or place into a bowl with a tight fitting lid. Let it rest on the counter for at least 45 minutes. 
  3. When ready to make the tortillas, divide the dough into equal amounts. I get at least 6-8 tortillas out of each batch. Roll them into a ball and then flatten out into a round using your fingers. Set aside, to rest a few minutes. 
  4. Preheat a well seasoned cast iron pan ( or other heavy bottomed pan) over medium heat. You can also add a spritz or a little teeny bit of oil to the pan if desired.  I do, but then end up having to scrub it afterwards, but it helps with the cooking.
  5. Roll each round of dough into a circle and set aside.  It needs a minute to itself here and recover from its exertions. 
  6. Place the first tortilla into the pan, and let cook for about 1 -11/2 minutes then turn over. It will bubble up a little.  The bottom should have some light brown spots. Flip over, and  let the second side cook for an additional 15-30 seconds, depending on the thickness of the tortilla. As soon as it is cooked, take off of the heat, and either wrap in a flour sack towel or place into a sealed container and smear with butter. This softens the tortilla as it cools. We like them with a touch of butter on each one. Continue to cook each tortilla until all are cooked. Serve immediately.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

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