Mission: Perfect Flour tortillas..

For what its worth. Tortillas

For what its worth. Tortillas made without baking powder are the Northern Mexican/Southern Arizona style. This is how I roll. (at least a dozen a week).

Sonoran cooks have turned tortilla making practically into an art form. Their tortillas are large (some are pizza-sized), thin and delicate.

Sonoran Flour Tortillas

* 2 cups bread flour

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 3 tablespoons lard

* 3/4 cup warm water

Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the shortening using a fork, a pastry blender or your fingertips. Gradually add the water, working it in until you have a sticky dough. Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for 2 or 3 minutes. Allow the dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Then divide it into 6 or 8 balls of equal size, cover, and allow to rest for an hour. Roll each ball of dough. Cook in a hot, dry skillet or griddle. Cook for 10 seconds, turn it, and cook for 10 more seconds, then turn again for 10 more seconds per side. Remove the tortilla, place it in a napkin-lined basket and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. While they are still slightly warm, put them into a plastic storage bag, this will make them extra soft and supple.

Store in the fridge and warm before serving.

here is a video of an artist at work. Can you believe how big she gets it... (That sounds bad)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3w4C80Lbpc&NR=1

allan

I actually made some white flour tortillas for the first time recently on the spur of the moment that left my WW version standing on the side of a dusty road asking for directions.  Then again, I hadn't had a white flour tortilla in a really long time so these were like candy!  I took them camping and they stayed soft for days in a plastic bag.

Same basic approach as yours except-

A splash of olive oil instead of shortening

A little agave nectar, probably about a Tbsp

A lump of WW sourdough starter as the only leaven.  I don't remember how much, but I don't think it needs to be super-precise for tortillas.

I just let it sit for a couple hours after I mixed it, then rolled-out and cooked.  Yum, with just a few flecks of brown from the WW and a more complex flavor, it was like tortillas de campagne (sorry, couldn't resist).

Marcus

Alabubba, thanks for nthe recipe and the video,  My recipe for the flour tortillas also uses lard instgead of shortening - is makes them more relaxed and supple.  And thanks for the link to the video.  Talk about passing a windowpane test.  Wow.

I got hungry just staring at the pictures.

Larry