Homemade Corn Tortillas
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Corn tortillas really are not hard to make, they just take practice. They may not come out perfect the first time you do it (or they might!), but they will get better each time you make them. It just takes a little time to get to know the feel of the dough, the feel of the press and just how long to cook them. I think they're fun to make and hope you given em a go.
Homemade Corn Tortillas
Note: I use an 8 inch heavy Victoria tortilla press
Makes 12 tortillas
2 cups of masa (like Quaker or Maseca brands)
1 ½ to 2 cups of very warm water (not boiling)
2 teaspoons cornstarch (helps with texture!)
¼ tsp salt (optional)
In a large bowl combine the masa (and baking soda and salt if using) and 1 ½ cups of the warm water. Begin kneading the dough in the bowl with your hands. If it feels dry and does not form a moist ball, add a little more water. If it seems too wet, add more flour.
Knead the dough for a couple of minutes until it feels smooth and not sticky (this step is really important to create soft, pliable tortilla). Form into 12 balls about the size of a golf ball and cover to keep moist while you’re making the tortillas.
Place a piece of plastic wrap on the bottom of your press and place a dough ball on top of the plastic. I use an 8" heavy iron Victoria tortilla press. It also comes in a 6" model, but I really like the larger version. But don't try this with an aluminum press. They just aren't heavy enough to press the tortilla correctly.
Place another piece of plastic on top of that and close the press over the ball. Do not press too hard, but press down just hard enough to form a disc that’s about 5 ½” in diameter.
Carefully remove the tortilla from the plastic (you’ll get better at this the more you do) and place on a very hot griddle.
Cook for 10 seconds and then flip it over and let sit for about 40 seconds. (They say that a good tortilla will puff up at this point). Flip the tortilla and let it cook another 30 seconds. I flip it one more time for a couple of seconds and then remove it to a towel-lined plate and cover with the other half of the towel.
Repeat this process with the rest of the tortillas, being sure to keep them covered as you make them. If you’re not going to be using them immediately, wrap them in foil and then reheat them in a toaster oven until warm.
