How to make corn tortillas is a great skill to have. The arrival of Cinco de Mayo—the May 5 celebration of Mexico’s quest for democracy and freedom that commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862—gives everyone a perfect excuse to try this skill. It’s so easy and fun that your kids can help you with it.
We adapted the simple recipe below from the Maseca brand of Masa corn flour. These corn tortillas are gluten-free.
Before you start, you’ll need to get your hands on a tortilla press to press out the tortillas. If you want to give it a try without a tortilla press, just roll out the dough on the counter sandwiched between two sheets of plastic to 1/8-inch or thinner. The tortillas should be about 6 inches in diameter.
Recipe: Handmade Corn Tortillas
Photos by John Ivanko
Yield: 16 tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups instant corn masa flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1¼ cup water
- 1/4 cup canola oil
How to Make Corn Tortillas: Preparation
Step 1: Mix flour, salt and water thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form soft dough. If the dough feels dry, add more water.
Step 2: Divide dough into 16 equal-sized, hand-formed balls.
Step 3: Line tortilla press with two sheets of plastic. The plastic keeps the dough from sticking to the tortilla press. A large Ziplock bag can be cut and separated works perfectly.
Step 4: One at a time, place balls of dough between plastic and press until the tortilla measures about 6 inches in diameter. Lift the tortilla press once, and rotate the flattened dough a quarter turn clockwise, then push down on the press again.
Step 5: Carefully peel the tortilla off the plastic, and place it into a medium-hot skillet or fry pan.
Step 6: Cook the tortilla for one minute or until lightly browned, then flip to cook the other side.
Step 7: Keep tortillas warm in a covered basket until the other tortillas are completed.
Step 8: Serve tortillas with refried beans, rice, black beans, shredded salad, cut tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and stewed pork or chicken. If you decide to make tostadas, let the tortilla cool before frying in oil to make it crispy. Tortillas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
This how to make corn tortillas tutorial and recipe were written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
