Far from a tedious undertaking, making your own tortillas assures your taco night will be as fresh and flavourful as possible. Used to make authentic Mexican tortillas, masa flour is a corn flour that has been soaked in lime, dried, and then ground into a powder. You want at least four tortillas for each person, so make additional batches if necessary. Tortillas can be reheated as needed in the oven.
2 cups (500 mL) masa flour
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) hot water
2 tsp (10 mL) grapeseed or other oil of choice
Add masa flour to large bowl. Slowly add water and mix until dough is just moistened and springy. Add more water if needed by the tablespoon until mixture comes together to form small clumps and is pliable when mixed with hands, but not to the point where it is very moist.
Divide dough into 12 – 2 in (5 cm) balls, or slightly bigger than a golf ball. Cut out 2 large sheets of parchment or waxed paper.
Place 1 ball of dough between pieces of paper and press down firmly with a plate, coffee can, or similar item to form thin 5 in (12 cm) circle—about the diameter of a hamburger bun. You want the tortilla to be only about 1/8 in (3 mm) thick, so press down more with fingers if needed. You can also use a tortilla press to flatten dough. If tortilla crumbles when pressed, the dough is too dry, so add slightly more water. Repeat with remaining balls.
Preheat heavy skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly brush with some oil. Cook tortillas for about 1 minute, or until lightly charred in some spots and edges begin to curl. Flip and cook 20 seconds more. Tuck inside folded clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, brushing skillet with more oil as needed.
Makes 12 tortillas.
Each tortilla contains: 76 calories; 2 g protein; 1 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 14 g total carbohydrates (0 g sugars, 2 g fibre); 2 mg sodium
source: “Taco Party“, alive #376, May 2013
