Tex-Mex Style Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortilla

In my question for tortilla perfection, I am reminded of the story of the guy who was married eight times and always blamed his failed marriages on the women he married.  Grins, this is like my fifth or sixth recipe I've tried and since it's unlikely all those recipes are failures, it seems like time for a little self-reflection.  While I have yet to find the secret for great tortillas, I think I'm onto something here. My ideal includes adjectives like soft, flexible, fluffy, flavorful.  Not too much to ask for, but past efforts have yielded tortillas that were thin, brittle, and tasted like pie crust. 

First of all, tortillas take practice.  Oh. Yeah, I guess I should've known that.  When I think of my first loaf of yeast bread and how it clunked so loudly that I could hear it hit the metal trash can from my second-story apartment over city traffic, I know the ringing sound of failure.  I never thought I could learn to make beautiful loaves of yeast bread.  A little diligence and knowing the "feel" of dough paid off.  I think tortilla making is similar; you have to know the feel of the dough, and that only comes through practice and diligence.  And eating your failures, which is better than eating crow, I've found.

Tortilla too brittle?  Too much shortening, too much baking powder, or quite possibly the griddle wasn't hot enough.  The griddle has to be hot.  Also, it could be too much baking powder.  Tortilla tough?  Handled it too much.  And probably the biggest thing I've learned, they need to be kept in a tortilla warmer.  You don't need anything fancy, just a clean dishtowel maybe with tin foil loosely folded around it to help it retain the heat but still allowing the steam to escape.  I've found they soften nicely once they've allowed to rest a bit after cooking.

The other neat thing I've learned is there two schools of tortilla makers depending on the region you grew up and family preferences:  the thicker Texan style, popular in certain parts of Mexico (like the ones pictured above and my favorite) and those who favor the paper thin tortilla, almost like a wonton wrapper (perfect for burritos), which I believe is popular in the Sonoran region of Mexico and thus quite popular here since we live so close to Sonora.  Both are equally good; it's just personal choice and what you're accustomed to and probably how you intend to use the tortilla.

Tex-Mex Style Flour Tortillas (makes 8 thick tortillas)

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm milk

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the first four ingredients.

Slowly add the warmed milk, stirring, until a sticky ball is formed.  Dump dough out onto a floured surface and knead, about two minutes, or until ball is smooth, soft, and firm.

Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp paper towel or dish towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, break the dough off into eight sections, rolling each section into a ball as you break them off.  Place the balls on a plate spaced far enough apart so that the balls are not touching.  Cover again with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap, and once again allow to rest, this time for 10 minutes.

On a floured surface, pat the dough into a 4-inch disc and then roll into 8-inch circle. In your mind's eye, see the disc as 4 pieces of pie and starting from the center, roll out to the one edge and over it to keep the edges thin. Go to the next quarter, repeat.  Flip the disc, repeat.  You can also stretch the dough over your knuckles, like for pizza dough, pulling on the edges while spinning over the knuckles of  your closed fist to help attain a circular shape.

Keep the uncooked tortillas covered until ready to cook as you don't want them to dry out.

Preheat a dry (do not grease) cast iron comal or skillet over high heat and cook the tortilla about 30 seconds each side.  Tortilla will puff and bubble when it's done.

Place cooked tortilla in clean dish towel, napkin, tortilla warmer, whatever you are using, to keep them warm until serving.

Cooks Note:  So this is the basic recipe I made and I followed it exactly.  I'm pleased with the results, of course, but when I try this next, I think I'm going to tinker with it a bit, perhaps adding a tad more milk, a tablespoon or so.  It may be the brand of flour I'm using, but I found the dough to be a bit on the dry side.  It's all about the feel.