ISO: ISO Homemade corn tortillas...for my Rubio's Fish Tacos

In Search Of:

mimi

Well-known member
I can't get corn tortillas up here, but I do have a bag of masa harina that's been sitting around for months waiting for me to do something. Has anyone made homemade corn tortillas before? I don't have that tortilla press thing, it'll have to be by hand or a rolling pin.

 
You can do them by hand, I did before I had a press. They may not be perfectly formed, but that's

okay, go for it.

 
Add a pinch of salt and water until it's the consistency of Play-do (sp?) Roll between sheets of

wax paper or pat out with wet hands. Cook on a hot, lightly greased griddle a minute or two each side, until brown in spots. That's about all there is to it!

 
Cooking Class Mexican Cookbook corn tortillas

2 cups masa harina
1 to 1 ¼ cups warm water

Combine masa harina and 1 cup water. Add remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth stiff dough is formed.

Test consistency of dough by pressing a 1¾-inch ball between two pieces of plastic into a 6 inch tortilla.. (If you do not have a tortilla press, use the bottom of a heavy pan.) Peel off top piece of plastic; invert tortilla onto your hand and remove second piece of plastic. If edges are cracked or ragged, dough is too dry; mix in water, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, until dough presses out with smooth edges. If tortilla sticks to plastic, dough is too wet; mix in masa harina, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough no longer sticks when pressed.

Divide dough into 12 pieces for 6-inch tortillas or 24 pieces for 4-inch tortillas. Press out tortillas and keep covered with plastic or waxed paper.

Heat ungreased griddle over medium-high heat until water drops dance. Place a tortilla on griddle; cook 30 seconds or until edges begin to dry out. Turn tortilla over; cook 45 seconds to 1 minute until dry and lightly flecked with brown spots. Turn tortilla over again; cook first side 15 to 20 seconds more until dry and light brown. Tortilla may puff up; do not press down. Remove tortilla to kitchen towel; it will be slightly stiff, but will soften as it stands.

Cook remaining tortillas in the same manner.

 
It's not that I didn't have play do as a child. I was probably grandmother age by the time it was

created.

Anyone remember plasticene?

Is it softer than that?

 
Softer than plasticene. Stiffer than mashed potatoes. Like gnocchi dough.

Just stiff enough so you can peel the plastic or wax paper off on one side (then slap it on the griddle and peel off the other side. You can add a little more water or Masa Harina as you go, so don't worry.

 
REC: a great "lardless" flour tortilla...

Bernice Hinojosa’s Special Tortilla
via my mother-in-law...
the best Mexican cook I know!

These are a bit untraditional but easy to make by hand and don’t include lard.

2 cups flour
1/4 cup Mayonnaise (yeah, I know it sounds weird)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

Don’t use non-fat products, since the tortillas need fat and this is where it comes from. I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work. They turn out like CDs.

Mix flour, salt, baking powder, mayo until well blended. Pour milk (or water) over and make a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes by hand or do everything in your bread maker and let it run for 5 minutes. Divide into about 2” balls and let them set for at least 5 minutes to rest. This step is important the dough won’t roll out! Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board and cook on a pre-heated medium hot griddle for a minute or so on each side. Keep warm. This recipe works great in the electric tortilla maker, too. Follow those cooking directions.

 
I just took my last dozen green chicken tamales to a get together

last night and everone loved them. They all want me to make them a dozen, so I told them they had to help.

 
Here's a tortilla tip from my daughter's housekeeper/cook who is from Mexico...

I went to house sit there for 10 days in February and watched Sarah make corn tortillas. She had cut out circles of a plastic store bag to fit in the plates of her tortilla press. She uses one on top of the ball of masa and one underneath before she closes it to mash the tortilla out. This plasic bag does NOT STICK like waxed paper. I thought it was a great tip! Next time I'll try it in my press at home!

Mimi, I realize you don't have a press but you might want to get one in the future. There's so much you can do with corn tortillas. Flour tortillas are rolled with a rolling pin. (Sarah doesn't make these, but I made them for years)

Anyway, hope the bag tip helps someone.

Blessings from MO

 
Back
Top