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.
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)
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
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