FLOUR TORTILLAS

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Introduction

With the recent popularity of Mexican food and wraps in general, flour tortillas are now a very popular subject. With a little practice you will discover they are much easier to prepare than corn tortillas and that it is just as easy to make great ones as ordinary ones!

Anxious to be able to prepare their staple breads, Spaniards brought wheat seeds with them to Mexico. Unfortunately, wheat did not do well in the humidity and heat of southern Mexico. It was not until years later when Spanish settlers arrived in northern Mexico that they found the dry cold winters required for the crop to flourish. Ironically, by that time, the Spaniards were accustomed to Indian foods and quickly adapted wheat to the preparation of a new type of tortilla.

Being close to northern Mexico, flour tortillas are very popular in the United States, where they are widely available in supermarkets. Another reason why flour tortillas are so popular is that really good corn tortillas are almost impossible to find in the United States, and difficult to prepare, while top quality flour tortillas are relatively easy to make.

All flour tortillas are similar in ingredients and preparation but not in size. They vary from about 4 inches to about 18 inches in diameter, and in thickness from paper-thin to over 1/8 inch thick. Generally, the largest, thinnest tortillas are found in the Mexican state of Sonora, where burritos are thought to have been invented. There, it was discovered that dried meat wrapped in very large flour tortillas could be carried in saddlebags and, if necessary, eaten with one hand while riding a horse. This style of flour tortilla is also popular in Baja California, Arizona, California, and New Mexico. One exception is Tex-Mex cooking where thick, puffy flour tortillas are used in place of bread, and to wrap fajitas and other fillings.

The most common flour tortilla size is what I call the all-purpose flour tortilla, and has a diameter of about 6 1/2 to 7 ½ inches, and is less than 1/8 inch thick.

Ingredients and techniques

Flour tortillas are made with wheat flour, a fat, salt, and water. Some cooks also add a little baking powder.

Flour

In Mexico, most of the flour is fairly soft, which means it is lower in protein and gluten (the elements that gives bread its elastic quality) than bread flour, but higher in them than cake flour. Our all-purpose flours are a good substitute and are excellent for flour tortillas. Some commercial bakeries in the United States use a harder, bread-type flour with more protein and gluten, and the result is tortillas with a texture so rubbery and elastic that they turn taking a bite into a “tug of war.” These problems are also created by overworking the dough, and not allowing it to rest before making the tortillas. For a more rustic tortilla, add 1 - 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour per cup of all-purpose flour.

The Fat

Lard is the traditional fat used to make flour tortillas, and is still my favorite, although those made in Sonora with rendered beef fat have a very special flavor, as well. If you do not wish to use supermarket lard, which contains hydrogenated fat, simply make your own using the recipe just below. .

Many cooks use shortening in their tortillas. However, I find that it has no real flavor, and there is the disadvantage of its being hydrogenated. As mentioned earlier, some cooks in Sonora use rendered beef fat which can be made the same way as lard. Although few Mexican cooks use it, I find that a neutral oil, such as canola oil, makes a good alternative to lard. Many cooks also use butter for some or all of the fat, which yields a rich, flavorful result.

Regarding the amount of fat, the rule of thumb is 1 ½ - 2 ½ tablespoons per cup of flour, although commercial producers often use much less, which is why their tortillas are often rather dry. However, using less fat does make the tortillas softer and more pliable when they are cold. In fact, reasonably good flour tortillas can be successfully made with as little as ½ tablespoon fat per cup of flour (see the low-fat adaptation below). Remember that tortillas made with more fat will have more flavor but will become stiff and hard when refrigerated.

Homemade Lard

These days it is common for people to recoil in horror—like a vampire confronted by a cross—at the very mention of the word lard, but it is an essential ingredient for both flour tortillas and tamales. It is interesting to note that good quality lard actually has less saturated fat than butter, and many nutrition experts maintain that hydrogenated fats, such as those found in margarine and shortening, are more dangerous to health than the saturated fats found in butter and lard! But good quality lard does not include the products found in most supermarkets. That lard is usually hydrogenated and otherwise preserved to the point that, like shortening, it does not require refrigeration. Is there not some small voice that whispers something is wrong with an animal fat product that does not need refrigeration? You may be able to find good quality, freshly rendered lard (manteca fresca) in stores specializing in Mexican food products.

If you do not have access to good lard you can make your own. It will be pure, tasty and will require refrigeration. A quick and easy way to produce small quantities, but one that requires caution because of the extreme heat and steam involved, is as follows: place 1/3 - 1/2 cup diced pork fat in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, cover it with good quality plastic wrap, and microwave it on high, a minute at a time, until most of the fat is melted and the remaining bits of fat just begin to brown. It usually takes a total of 2 - 3 minutes. Allow the fat to cool slightly, then strain the liquid into a sterile jar. The only downsides to this approach are that it makes relatively small quantities and you must take great care to avoid touching the glass container and the steam that is released when the plastic wrap is removed. I always use gloves made for handling hot objects, and kitchen tongs to remove the plastic wrap.

For large quantities I suggest you use the method advocated by Diana Kennedy.

Place1 pound pork fat, cut into very small pieces, in an oven-proof skillet or baking dish, more or less in one layer, and place it in an oven preheated to 325 degrees. Cook until the fat begins to render and pour it through a strainer into a large jar or other suitable container. Continue cooking and pouring off the melted lard until the fat begins to brown. Allow the strained lard to cool, then refrigerate.

Baking powder

Some cooks add a little baking powder to their flour tortilla dough. After much trial and error I have concluded that its use is unnecessary for thin tortillas, but does have a beneficial effect on the pillow-like Tex-Mex variety, making them slightly more puffy and lighter.

Making the dough

When making the dough, solid fat, whether lard or butter or a combination, can be added in a warm but still fairly solid state. However, I find it much easier to melt the fat with the water, allow it to cool slightly, then add the two ingredients together in a stream. Using the hot liquid seems to make the tortillas softer and result in a more uniform dispersal of the fat, creating a very pliable dough.

The dough can be mixed by hand or made in a food processor fitted with the steel blade by pouring the liquid and melted fat slowly into the dry ingredients after turning on machine, until a ball of dough just begins to form. Remember that over-processing will make the dough rubbery.

Shaping the dough

Flour tortillas can be made with standard, large rolling pins, but a better choice is a smaller, solid wooden one. In Mexico and Texas special pins are sold just for flour tortillas. A 1 1/4 inch diameter wooden dowel cut to 14 inches in length works well as a substitute.

Before rolling out the tortillas, divide the dough into balls and allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes. This will permit the gluten to relax and make them much easier to form.

To form the tortillas, roll the dough balls, turning them clockwise or counter clockwise a little as you do so, then turning them over onto the other side after about every third roll.

Electric tortilla makers

Electric devices resembling smooth waffle makers are now available to make tortillas. While they do a poor job on corn tortillas they are excellent for flour tortillas, and they allow you to avoid the time consuming process of rolling out the dough. Simply place a dough ball just off-center toward the machine’s hinges, close the top, press out the tortilla very quickly, then immediately open it, and continue as per the usual recipe.

BASIC FLOUR TORTILLA RECIPE

The following recipe is meant to serve as a standard from which readers are encouraged to experiment based on their own taste and dietary requirements, particularly in terms of the type and amount of fat. Some recommended adaptaions follow the recipe.

2 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons good quality lard or other fat (see above)

2/3 cup water

Mix the flour and salt, either in a bowl or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Heat the water and lard, or other fat, over low heat, or in a microwave until it has melted. Gradually stir the liquid into the flour and form into a dough by hand, or pour into the processor with the motor running. The result should be a dough that is neither wet nor dry and crumbly. If it seems too wet add a little more flour; if it is too dry add a little more water. Knead the dough very briefly, then allow it to rest for 1 hour. Divide it into 14 pieces. Roll the pieces of dough into little balls between the palms of your hands, then cover them with a slightly damp towel, and allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes, and up to an hour and a half. This will allow the gluten to relax and make them easier to shape.

Roll the dough into rounds 6 ½ to 7 ½ inches in diameter using the technique described above. Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat. Since stove settings vary you will have to experiment to find the best heat for your particular situation. When the skillet or griddle has preheated, place one of the rolled dough pieces on it. Within about 30 seconds it should start to bubble and some little brown spots begin to form on the bottom. Flip the tortilla over and cook another 30 seconds. By this time it should start to puff a little more, and the other side will develop light brown spots. Flip the tortilla again at which time it should immediately begin to puff, sometimes into a large, nearly round ball. When the tortilla has fully expanded, remove it from the heat and place it in a tortilla warmer or wrap it in a thick towel. As you proceed, adjust the heat based on the above description. For example, reduce the heat if after about 30 seconds the bottom of the tortilla is beginning to char, or raise it if nothing much has happened. Repeat the process for the remaining tortillas.

Makes 14 tortillas

Adaptations

Northern Mexican-style flour tortillas

To make authentic, northern Mexican flour tortillas, use 4 tablespoons lard or rendered beef fat instead of three.

Tex-Mex tortillas

To make thicker, Tex-Mex style tortillas, add ½ teaspoon baking powder with the flour and salt, divide the dough into 10 pieces, and roll them to a diameter of 6 ½ to 7 ½ inches.

Very thin flour tortillas

Divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll to 7 ½ inches.

Tortillas for burritos or chimichangas

To make tortillas for burritos, divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them to a diameter of about 9 inches. This makes a fairly small burrito, but this is about the maximum size for home griddles and skillets. If your equipment permits larger sizes, divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll out to about 12 inches.

Extra fatty, silky-smooth tortillas

For this adaption simply add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the Northern Mexican alternative above.

Flour tortillas with extra rich flavor

Substitute butter for ½ or all the lard in the recipe.

Low fat flour tortillas

For those interested in making decent flour tortillas with a minimum of fat, prepare the basic recipe with 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Mix the oil with very warm tap water before adding it to the flour. The result is a very soft tortilla with a nice, light texture and low fat content.