Corn Tortillas (Home Made)

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The best corn tortillas are freshly home made. The fresher, the better. So it doesn't get any fresher than making them yourself. It's tough to get them just right. I haven't quite mastered it yet, but these aren't bad. I use Masa Harina corn flour. The amount of masa to water depends a bit on the brand, so it's important to know what you're looking for in terms of dough consistency. You want it to feel moist, but not sticky. You don't want it too dry. Not enough water and you won't be able to get a thin tortilla. Too much water and the tortilla will be impossible to remove from the tortilla press and onto the griddle. It takes a little practice. You'll need to get a tortilla press. Mexgrocer.com has some affordable options. Unless you do it for a living, you'll probably have a tough time getting it just right, but even a not perfect fresh corn tortilla is worth having every once in a while. It's a special treat.

Corn Tortillas (makes 8 tortillas)

Ingredients

1 cup masa harina
1 cup water (2-4 Tbsp more)
tspn salt

Preparation

In a bowl, mix together the masa, 1 cup warm water and salt. Knead for a few minutes and add additional water a little at a time until you get the right consistency. Moist, without being sticky. I generally start with one cup of water per cup of masa. I'll mix that with a fork until all the water is absorbed. Then I'll pull together with my hands. I'll add another Tablespoon per cup of masa at this point. Knead for 30 seconds or so. This is where you slow down with the water. It will probably need more, but it's a fine line. I usually just dip my hand in water occasionally as I knead until it's right. What I look for is a smooth dough. When you pinch a small bit of the dough it should push away smooth and not with a broken edge. Whenever you add a little water, make sure to knead for a bit before you test it. Cover with a moist towel and let sit for 10 minutes once it's ready. Divide dough into 8-10 pieces. Form each piece into a ball and re-cover with a moist towel while making tortillas.

Cut a grocery bag into 2 equal sized pieces that fit onto your tortilla press. You'll be pressing each ball into a tortilla between the pieces of bag. Once you've pressed the ball flat. Peel back and remove the top piece of plastic. Lift up the plastic with the tortilla. Turn upside down and while resting the tortilla on the palm of your free hand, peel back the other piece of plastic. Lay the tortilla onto a griddle, comal, or cast iron set on med-low to med. This really depends on your heat source. It takes a bit of trial and error. I use a cast iron griddle. Make sure to let the griddle preheat. One side over medium low heat and the other over medium heat. I'll start the tortilla on the medium low side for 2-30 seconds until you can flip the tortilla without it breaking. Flip, and keep on the medium low side for another 20-30 seconds. Then flip to the medium heat side. Leave for 20-30 seconds or so and flip and cook for another 20-30 seconds. If it begins to burn, flip again. On your last flip, give it a push with you fingers or a spatula and it should puff up a bit. That's when you know you'll got it right.

Use a tortilla warmer with a towel to keep the tortillas fresh. Use fresh or refrigerate. To reheat, add back to a griddle and heat for 30 seconds on each side.