Basic Corn Tortillas
Tortillas de MaizHere you'll find how to press corn tortillas from fresh masa dough—or from fresh tortilla dough purchased from a tortilla factory—how to use a tortilla press, then how to bake the formed tortillas.Always put the dough between pieces of plastic or it will stick to the tortilla press. Stack the tortillas as they are baked to keep them warm and moist. When the tortillas are cool, put them in a plastic bag, and refrigerate up to 1 week. Reheat tortillas briefly in a hot dry skillet, or directly over a gas flame until warm and pliable, or reheat in a microwave oven.
Equipment
- Tortilla press
- plastic wrap
Instructions
- Basic Corn Tortillas
- Form the dough into 12 equal balls, about golf ball size.
- Keep the dough lightly covered with plastic wrap while working, to prevent the dough from drying out.
- Heat a Mexican comal or medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Open the tortilla press, and place 1 piece of plastic on the bottom of the press.
- Put a ball of dough on the plastic and lay another piece of plastic on top of the dough.
- Lower the hinged lid quite firmly to form a round tortilla.
- Open the lid, and lift the tortilla with the plastic onto the palm of your hand.
- Carefully peel off the top piece of plastic.
- Pick up the tortilla from underneath, with the bottom piece of plastic still attached.
- Flip the tortilla over in your hand and peel off the bottom piece of plastic.
- Lay the tortilla on the hot pan.
- Cook 20 to 30 seconds, or until the edges look dry.
- With a flexible spatula, flip the tortilla over, and cook about 1 minute.
- Turn again and cook 15 seconds.
- Put the hot tortilla between folds of a clean kitchen towel.
- Repeat to make 12 tortillas.