Corn Tortillas
Betül’s Notes
We’ve all been there: a delicious taco in hand, ready to enjoy the mix of flavors, and then the store-bought tortilla falls apart, ruining the whole experience. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to try making fresh tortillas at home. Trust me, it’s easier than you think and you will love the huge difference having fresh, homemade tortillas makes!
Corn Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina*
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons hot* water more as needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add masa harina, water, olive oil, salt, and sugar. Using your hands, bring the mixture together until everything is combined well. Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and perform the basic kneading technique. Hold the top of the dough in one hand and fold it over onto itself, pressing firmly forward with your palm. Because this dough does not use a gluten-based flour, the dough will not be stretchy. Continue to knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature.
- Uncover the dough and roll it into a log. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, divide it into 15 equal pieces, 40g each. Place a piece of dough in your palm. Shaping your other hand as a loose cage, roll the dough into a smooth ball. Place onto a plate or baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with each piece of dough. Cover each side of a tortilla press* with plastic wrap or plastic bag such as an airtight storage bag. Place the first piece of dough in the middle of the tortilla press and press into a 6-inch circle. If you do not have a tortilla press, you can also use a rolling pin and lightly floured surface to roll each piece into a 6-inch circle*.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or pan over medium-high heat. To ensure the pan is hot enough before cooking the tortillas, splash a few drops of water on the pan. If the water immediately sizzles away, the pan is ready. Very carefully remove the tortilla from the tortilla press, ensuring it does not tear. Place a tortilla on the pan and cook one side for 7 to 10 seconds. Flip and repeat, cooking each side twice and cooking for a total of 40 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and immediately place in a tortilla warmer or in a kitchen towel-lined basket, covering to keep warm. Repeat the pressing and cooking process with each tortilla.
- Serve warm with your favorite taco fillings or Mexican recipe.
- Bon appetit!
Notes
*Each masa harina brand requires different hydration levels. Depending on your type, you may need to add up to 2 ½ tablespoons of additional water. The dough should be nice and smooth but never wet.
*Use water as hot as you can handle.
*If your tortilla press does not press the dough thin enough, decrease the dough ball size to 30-35g and press to 5-inches to ensure the tortillas are nice and thin.
*Keep the dough covered at each step in the process to ensure the dough does not dry out.
*Once the tortillas have reached room temperature, place in an airtight storage bag and store at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. If freezing, place a piece of parchment paper between each tortilla to ensure they do not stick together and then let come to room temperature before reheating. Before serving, reheat on a skillet or gas stovetop for 20 to 30 seconds on each side until warm and flexible.
*I prefer to press and cook each tortilla immediately rather than pressing them all and then cooking them. This process is much easier if you have a cooking partner with you, so someone can press the tortillas and someone can cook them simultaneously.
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