45-Second Corn Tortillas Premium PD Recipe
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Skill Level: Easy
-
Print Recipe
- [wpc_button]
Direct link to this recipe: https://protectivediet.com/recipe/corn-tortillas/
Thin homemade corn tortillas are easy to make with my quick-mix, sure-thing recipe and the right tools for the job. For years I attempted a technique without a press to assist those who were ordering tortillas by mail. Then I dove all in with the top-rated tortilla press and created a sure-thing dough hack that makes forming tortillas a breeze. I’m grateful the Protective Diet community demanded an easy way to make thin tortillas for delicate baked chips. Even living in San Diego, surrounded by tortillerias I became excited to make them from scratch. Keep in mind “from scratch” means simply mixing a pantry staple in a bowl and with a little practice you will be an expert tortilla maker cranking out hot stacks! Then I moved to Utah and added a grain mill to my workplace for wellness to increase organic ingredient quality. It took me two years to perfect the measurement and technique with whole untreated corn to produce light puffed tortillas and crunch-tastic chips. Join us in PD-Ed for new and improved tortilla tips with shortcuts in lesson #326. I will introduce my sure-thing gram measurements with commercial masa harina and fresh milled whole corn and water. My recipe focus is on ingredient quality, savings, efficiency, and simple techniques to produce delicate corn tortillas and oil-free baked chips to enjoy as our starch-energy on a Protective Diet.
Equipment:
- Tortilla press
- Ceramic non-stick skillet, Cast iron skillet, Comal, Enamel coated Dutch Oven, or stainless steel pan
- 4 plastic sandwich bags (sides cut open and zipper seal cut off)
Ingredients:
Commercial Masa Ingredients:- 270 grams or 2 cups masa harina, maseca, or instant masa (ingredients: corn with hydrated lime)
- 270 grams or 2 scant cups boiling water
Fresh Milling Ingredients:
- 270 grams organic whole dried dent corn (blue, yellow or white)
- 200 grams boiling water
Directions:
- Read Notes and watch PD-Ed Class #326 for advanced measurements and tortilla shortcuts along with encouragement and community support
- Also, see class #266 for visual tips, cast iron skillet seasoning, and perfectly baked tortilla chip advice
- In a mixing bowl, weigh grams of commercial masa harina (or weigh whole dent corn and mill it on finest setting)
- Heat several cups water to a boil in a tea kettle or on the stovetop
- Return flour-filled mixing bowl to scale and add grams of boiling water (accuracy makes perfect dough – use a spoon to remove water if you over poured)
- Mix vigorously with a Danish dough whisk or fork
- Use your hands to bring the warm dough together and knead on the counter for the length of your favorite song, or set a timer for three minutes for perfectly puffed tortillas)
- Roll dough out into a thick log and cut into 16 pieces
- Preheat skillet, pan, or Comal on stovetop set to high heat
- Using tortilla press, press dough nugget between plastic bag
- Open press, turn tortilla slightly and press again for even tortillas
- Remove thinly pressed tortilla from the plastic
- Using hands, carefully place onto the preheated skillet and set a stopwatch for 15 seconds, then flip
- Allow to cook another 15 seconds on second side then flip back to the first side
- Cook another 15 seconds; and allow to puff ( if puff isn’t happening press center or cracks with a spatula or towel to build steam to puff; cook for a couple of seconds
- If serving soft, remove cooked tortilla from pan and wrap in a towel to keep warm
- Tortillas are cooked in 45 seconds on high heat, think 2 flips and a tap, then wrap
- If baking into tortilla chips, lay out on baking sheets and add salt or follow Breville Airfry instructions in PD-ED CLass #326
Notes & Pro Tips:
- Salt is not traditionally added to dough when making corn tortillas at home
- Mixing the dough using boiling water is also not traditional, but using my technique produces a no-fuss tortilla dough with sure-thing results
- Trust my method; it will produce the perfect tortilla dough texture without adjustments
- If you use hot tap water your dough will be too wet and you will have to add more flour, mix, and test
- Kneading is an important step for puffing tortillas
- Dough needs more kneading or is too dry if tortilla has cracks around the edges and doesn’t puff
- Dough is too moist if it sticks to the plastic when pressing
- If delays happen and divided dough pieces become dry roll with wet fingers before placing onto the press
- Instant masa harina or maseca is found at most grocery stores and international markets (contains corn, hydrated lime and occasionally folic acid)
- Hydrated lime is a mineral that makes the dough swell
- Instant masa harina or maseca that is made from white corn produces the thinnest tortillas
- Masa harina is also made from yellow, blue, or purple corn
- Bob’s Organic Masa Harina is a hardier, more flavorful yellow corn and makes a thicker tortilla
- In PD-Ed Class #266 I review seven brands of masa harina including white, yellow, and blue
- Azure Standard sells organic yellow and white masa harina, I find the yellow more flavorful
- Azure Standard sells organic blue dent corn as well as yellow and white for milling
- Blue corn contains anthocyanin and is my favorite
- Dent corn when stored properly, will stay fresh for twenty years
- Dent corn is named after the little indention that forms on the kernel when it is dried
- Learn more about dent corn in PD-Ed Lesson #306 A Deep Pantry Saves Us Money & Time While Improving Food Quality
- I always weigh whole corn or whole grains and mill directly into the recipe
- The grain mill I use creates fine flour quickly so I can measure grains and mill directly into a recipe making milling convenient and pleasurable for everyday recipes
- Refrigerate tortillas up to a week in an airtight container or freeze for several months
- Warming cold tortillas is demonstrated on the stovetop in Lesson #266
- Practice makes perfect—by your second or third batch you will be a pro
Serving Suggestions:
- Enjoy corn tortillas as the starch energy of your meal
- Bake into Baked Tortilla Chips or Tostadas
- Use to make Sheet Pan Quesadillas or Loaded Nachos or with Roasted Salsa Verde, Chipotle Salsa, Escabeche Mexican Pickles, Fermented Salsa, Fiesta Layer Dip, Queso con Carne, Queso Dip, Guiltless Guacamole, Pico de Gallo Especial, Pico de Gallo, Roasted Salsa, Mango Salsa, French Onion Dip, Dill Pickle Dip, or Spinach Dip
- Serve warm corn tortillas with Fajitas, Chorizo Tacos, Julie’s Beans, Plant-Based Carnitas, Beef-less Taco Filling, Pintos & Cheeze, Green Brean Scramble, Taco Salad, or Chorizo Hash
- Use fresh or frozen and defrosted tortillas to make Taquitos, Red Enchiladas, Green Enchiladas, Tortilla Soup, and Enchilada Soup
- Bake fresh or frozen into tostadas or chips to serve with Pozole Roja, Busy Day Chili, or Cuban Black Bean Soup
- Use as a wrap and fill with Family Sized Egg-less Salad or Mock “Tuna” Salad
- Layer with Creamy Hummus and top with Ruby Raw Kraut or Probiotic Pickled Onions
- I enjoy Baked Tortillas Chips as my starch energy to scoop up chopped salad dressed with Healthy Valley Ranch or Spices & Herb Vinaigrette
Responses
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Excellent. Just excellent.
I’ve been scared of making these for the longest time and now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to attempt them. They are so easy and so flippin’ delicious! Julie’s Notes & Pro Tips (and the video) made it super easy. My teenage son couldn’t believe his taco wasn’t falling apart yet he loaded it with the good stuff!
These tortillas are amazing! I make them at least twice a week but usually 3 times a week
I don’t know what to say except PERFECTION! These tortillas are even better than fresh ones I have purchased from a tortilleria! I made a dozen for 3 adults…clearly not enough as we fought over who got the last one!
So much fun to make! They are in the oven now becoming tostadas and tortillas. I can’t wait to try them. I will come back here to leave my thoughts after they come out of the oven…
…I usually bake two trays of tostados and tortillas for 14 minutes total, flipping the racks halfway through. These needed longer as they were still warm and pliable when I put them in the oven. They needed an extra 7 minutes, so 21 minutes in all, but MAN! THESE ARE DELICIOUS!!! Thank you Julie Marie!