Home made tortillas

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Home-made tortillas are very easy, and are without the unwanted ingredients (such as the harmful hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils and aluminum baking powders).

I adapted this recipe from a Sunset cookbook. I usually fool and fuss with recipes until I have adjusted them quite a bit. In this recipe, I added one ingredient not listed- olive oil, and took away some of the salt. This recipe is VERY GOOD with whole-wheat flour, and if you use whole wheat flour I found the olive oil helps out with the elasticity and flavor.

You will need:
Flour
Baking Powder (try Rumford's Aluminum-free)
Salt
Warm Water
Olive Oil

Rolling pin (the heavier it is, the faster your work goes)
Skillet
Spatula
Two towels
Plastic Bag


To three cups of flour, add 2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt (use more if you like). Mix these together, and then add 3/4 cup warm water and 1/4 cup olive oil.

Knead the dough until smooth.

Divide into large walnut-sized balls and let rest under plastic wrap 15 minutes. I just invert a bowl over the top of the plate. The recipe states it makes a dozen balls, but I make mine slightly smaller, which is just right for little people's plates. I have also made them extra large.

After the dough has rested, flatten on and roll out thin. You may have to dust a bit with flour if you use whole-wheat; in my experience it stuck more than white flour. Ideally you will turn this little ball of dough into a perfect circle, but don't feel bad if your circles are a little wobbly-looking; they will be delicious all the same.

Stretch the dough a bit as you turn it. Now comes the fast part, and a couple of assistants are really handy: two people rolling dough and one person cooking the tortillas on the skillet.

Have the skillet heated to medium, and put your very thin tortilla in. It should blister and bubble like above. Turn it over with a spatula as soon as it does this, and press down on the other side. Cook a couple minutes, then flip it over and cook it again on the other side. I noticed the pan seems to cook them faster and faster, as it heats, so that by the end of the batch it only takes about 30 seconds per side to cook them.

When the tortilla is done, place it between towels, and then in a plastic bag to steam.

Here is a finished stack. Everyone loves to make burritos with these!