Tortillas de Harina (Flour Tortillas)

Tortillas de harina

A Mexican woman rolls out dough to make tortillas.

Popular across Latin America, tortillas are a staple food of many countries in the region, including Mexico. Corn and flour tortillas are most often eaten as a side dish with meats or as a wrapper for any number of ingredients. The recipe below is a basic flour tortilla recipe from which cooks can make their own variations.

Recipe Servings: Makes approximately 24 tortillas

Prep Time

30 minutes
+ 20 minutes resting

Cook Time

50 minutes

Total Time

1 hour 40 minutes

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Kosher

Halal

Ingredients

4 cups (1 l) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp (15 ml) salt
1 cup (240 ml) vegetable shortening or lard
2 cups (480) warm water

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Knead in the shortening or lard with your hands, adding small amounts of water while continuing to knead.
Once the dough is smooth and elastic, shape into a ball. Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for at least 20 minutes. Alternately, the dough can be left to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and shape into balls. Cover them with a damp cloth to prevent them drying out.
Heat a comal (a large, flat, round pan) or griddle on the stove.
On a floured surface, roll out each tortilla until it is as thin as it can be without getting holes. Make a divot in the center of each tortilla with your thumb to ensure even cooking. If you want a very round tortilla, trim off an excess around the outer edge.
Place a tortilla on the hot griddle for 30 seconds, then flip to cook on the other side for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip once more so that the tortilla balloons with steam.
Make sure not to overcook as the tortillas will become hard. Remove the tortilla from the griddle and store in a kitchen towel until all the tortillas are rolled out and cooked.
Serve immediately.