Homemade tortillas

Homemade tortillas

tortilla, round, thin, flat bread of Mexico made from unleavened cornmeal or, less commonly, wheat flour.

Traditionally, the corn (maize) for tortillas was boiled with unslaked lime to soften the kernels and loosen the hulls.

(This lime was the principal source of calcium in the Mexican diet.)

The grains were ground on a stone saddle quern, or metate.

Small pieces of dough were patted by hand into thin disks, a task requiring considerable dexterity.

The tortilla was then baked on a comal, a griddle of earthenware or iron.

Today most tortillas are purchased at tortillerías, where the dough is mixed by machine, stamped into disks, and passed by conveyer belt over a flame.

Tortillas stale quickly and are usually bought fresh daily or even for each meal.

Tortillas accompany most Mexican dishes.

They can be used to scoop up sauced or stewed dishes and are sometimes cut into pieces and fried crisp for this use.

As tacos, tortillas are folded around a filling of meat, beans, or cheese and a piquant sauce.

Enchiladas are tortillas rolled or folded around a filling and baked under a sauce.

Crisply fried tortillas topped with meat, beans, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes form tostadas.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g / 3 cups flour (all-purpose)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 230ml / 7.77oz warm water

• 60g / 0.22 cup soft butter

• 1 tsp salt

METHOD

Pour baking powder and salt into the flour.

Mix.

Add butter and hot water.

Knead the dough.

Divide the dough into balls and leave for 15 minutes.

Roll out each ball.

Fry in a pan.

That’s it, all you have to do is Enjoy !

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