Fresh Corn Tortillas Recipes

FRESH MASA CORN TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Knead the masa, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/3 cup water in a large bowl with your hands until well incorporated and the masa is soft and pliable but doesn't stick to your hands, about 4 minutes. If the masa is still dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon or two more water and continue to mix.
• Cut and remove the zip top from a gallon freezer bag. Cut the two sides of the bag leaving the bottom intact so that the bag can open and close like a book. If using a tortilla press, trim the cut sides of the bag to fit the flat surface of the tortilla press. (If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use a smooth-bottomed 10-inch skillet to press and flatten the tortillas. Use the plastic in the same way you would use with the press except place it between the countertop or work surface and the bottom of the skillet.)
• Divide the dough into 12 balls about 1/4 cup each (or 54g.). Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet and keep covered with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use.
• Heat a medium cast-iron skillet or large griddle over medium-high heat.
• Place the prepared plastic bag inside the press so that the folded side of the bag is on the hinged side of the press. Working with one dough ball at a time, open the press and the top side of the bag and place a ball in the center of the press. Fold the bag over the ball and gently press, holding a steady, firm pressure for a few seconds to flatten the ball to a 7-inch round. Open the press and peel the top bag from the dough. Place the dough on your open palm and peel off the remaining plastic.
• Brush the preheated pan with vegetable oil. Working with one at a time (unless using a large griddle), cook the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, flipping 3 times, until just starting to brown in spots, 90 seconds total. Stack and wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and keep warm. Repeat pressing and cooking the remaining dough balls.
• Serve the tortillas warm.

HOMEMADE CORN TORTILLAS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the lard. Stir in the water. Mix to incorporate. The dough should be slightly wet. Form the dough into a smooth ball, cover with a towel and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 12 even pieces. Place a little water on the hands and form the dough into golf ball-size balls. Take 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap from a plastic bag and cut them to the shape of the surface of the tortilla press. Open the tortilla press and lay one piece of waxed paper on the press. Place the masa ball in the center. Place another piece of waxed paper over the masa ball. Gently close the press and press down, until the dough has spread to 6-inches in diameter.
• Heat a cast-iron griddle or a large nonstick skillet on high heat. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, hold a tortilla in your hand, carefully removing the wax paper on each side. Allow the tortilla to rest half on your hand, and half hanging down, and gently lay the tortilla down on to the hot skillet. Start working on pressing the next tortilla. Cook the tortilla on the hot pan for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side. The tortilla should be lightly toasted and little air pockets forming.
• Heat 2-inches of canola oil in a heavy-bottomed medium skillet until it reaches 370 degrees F. Add the tortillas, 1 at a time and fry, turning once with tongs, until crispy, about 30 seconds. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels and lightly season with salt.

FRESH TORTILLAS

Steps:

• If you are making the masa, choose a good masa harina with as few ingredients as possible, preferably just corn and lime, like Bob's Red Mill. Pour a scant cup of water into a large bowl, add 1 1/2 cups masa harina and stir. Knead the dough for 30 seconds until it is firm and supple. It should not stick to your fingers when you touch it and it should not crumble when you press it into a ball. It should feel firm and supple, like fresh Play-Doh. Roll into a large ball, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Roll the ball into a log about 1 1/2 inches thick. Slice it crosswise into 10 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 ounces. Roll each piece into a small ball. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel to keep the dough from drying out.
• Put a tortilla press on a table at a comfortable height, so that you can use your body weight to assist in the pressing. If you don't have a tortilla press, use a heavy cutting board as the bottom of a press and a heavy metal saucepan with a flat bottom as the top.
• Set a griddle or large cast iron skillet over high heat. Line a basket or a shallow bowl with a clean cloth napkin. Cut a plastic produce bag at the seams to make two pieces of thin plastic. Put one piece on the tortilla press with a dough ball on top. Push down lightly with the heel of your hand, creating a thick disk, and cover the top with the other piece of plastic. Use the press to flatten the tortilla. Open the press, turn the tortilla in the plastic 180 degrees and repeat to make a very thin circular tortilla, 6 inches in diameter. Jiggle the handle a bit when pressing for extra force.
• Hold the flattened tortilla in your hand and peel off the plastic. Gently transfer the tortilla to the hot griddle. The tortilla should lie flat on the pan without any creases. Cook the first side of the tortilla just until the edges begin to dry, about 1 minute.
• Flip and cook the tortilla until you start to see some steam puffing up inside of it and brown spots developing on the underside, about 2 minutes more. You can take your fingertips or a spatula and lightly press down on the tortilla to encourage steam. Flip one more time, and cook for 30 seconds to get some brown spots. Exact cooking time depends on the heat of the cooking surface. Transfer the tortilla to a napkin-lined basket and cover. Repeat until you've used up all of your dough. Serve warm.

ALMOST-FROM-SCRATCH CORN TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Combine the masa and salt in a bowl; stir in the oil. Slowly stream in the water while mixing with your hand or a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a ball.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is smooth and elastic - just a minute or two. Wrap in plastic, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours.
• Break off pieces of the dough (you're shooting for 12 to 16 tortillas total), and lightly flour them. Put them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and press them in a tortilla press, or roll them out or press them with your hands to a diameter of 4 to 6 inches. Begin to cook the tortillas as you finish pressing or rolling them.
• Put a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Cook the tortillas, 1 or 2 at a time, until brown spots appear on the bottom, about a minute. Flip, and do the same on the other side. Wrap the cooked tortillas in a towel to keep them warm; serve immediately, or cool and store tightly wrapped in the fridge for a few days.