Homemade Basics: Flour Tortillas

Celebrating its one-month blogaversary, this blog has exceeded all expectations! With 1300 page views, a picture featured on FoodGawker, and a Facebook page boasting 50 likes, it's been an incredible journey. I'm so grateful to all my friends and supporters, especially my husband Gabe, for their patience and understanding. While this process has been rewarding, it hasn't been without its stresses. I truly hope you're enjoying the content and will continue to follow along. My aim is to inspire you to get into the kitchen and explore new culinary adventures!

On that note, I recently embarked on a new cooking challenge: homemade flour tortillas. Not only did I make them from scratch, but I also documented the steps to encourage you to try them out soon!

To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about making tortillas from scratch. Store-bought tortillas are perfectly acceptable and what my family is accustomed to. However, in my ongoing effort to incorporate more homemade items into our meals, I decided to take the leap. A significant advantage of this recipe is that I already had all the necessary ingredients. I found them remarkably easy to make—seriously easy! Although, I do need to refine my shaping technique. My haste played a role in them not being perfectly round, but that didn't diminish their deliciousness one bit! Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

5 tbsp. shortening

3/4 -1 cup of water

Directions:

In a food processor.  Add flour, baking power, salt and shortening.  

Pulse the mixture until it looks crumbly, about 5 - 8 seconds. (If you don't have a food processor you can get the same results by using a pastry cutter or by cutting the shortening into the flour mixture with 2 forks.)

With the food processor running on low speed.  Slowly add the water until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for 30 seconds.  Using a kitchen scale divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each on into a ball.  Cover the balls with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Using a kitchen scale divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each on into a ball.  Cover the balls with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Lightly dust a pastry mat or surface with flour. Roll each ball into a 6 inch round.  Heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Carefully transfer the rolled tortilla to the heated skillet.

Heat the tortilla for about 8-10 seconds per side.  Being careful not to overcook.  You want them to be soft and not stiff. 

Store the tortillas in an air tight container for up to a week or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Recipe Source:  Annie's Eats