Flour Tortillas...

One of the most important Mexican food staples is the tortilla. It was actually subsidized in Mexico until 1999. When talking about tortillas there are two types: corn and flour (wheat). Although corn is the most popular in Central/Southern Mexico, the flour tortilla is perhaps more popular in the greater Yuma region. Therefore we will start with flour tortillas then move our way to corn (since I haven't mentioned it yet, everything in this blog will be from scratch... or from seed and guidelines, not so much exact amounts). So flour tortillas "tortillas de harina"...

You will need (one dozen 10 inch (24cm) tortillas):
-Salt
-Water
-Fat- which can be lard (traditional I use lard here), vegetable oil, etc. 
-Flour (pref. bread flour, but all-purpose works nearly as well)

Rule # 1 keep the dough warm! (it's hot in the desert and it will make a difference, I'll explain later)

The first thing I do is heat water in a kettle until it is nearly boiling, then I pour (roughly 2 cups +/- 25%) into a metal bowl and combine ~ one tablespoon of salt (Fig. 1, 2: I'm using rock salt here). The hot water will help dissolve the salt and when dissolved the water should be salty like sea water. 

figure 1

figure 2

figure 3

Next, add the fat. How much? Well I use 20-30% fat for the total volume of liquid. For example if you use 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup will give you 20% and just shy of a cup will give you 30% (higher fat tortillas are easier to roll and usually keep better). Since the water is still hot the fat will melt and bring the temperature of the water down (fig. 3). Set this aside and do two things: first turn on the oven and let it heat for a minute or two until it is roughly 95 F (36 C) then boil water in a small pot until it begins steaming. Place the pot in the bottom of the oven (make sure oven is off). This will create a warm and steamy environment for the dough.

figure 4 (above) fig. 5 (below)

Back to the dough. Now start adding flour. I usually start with a cup and mix the whole thing together, which will make it the consistency of a thick batter. Now I add flour and knead it into the dough until it becomes elastic, firm and does not stick to your hands (fig 4). Continue to knead the dough for a couple of minutes then let it rest in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Pull the dough out and knead it just a few times. Notice anything? The dough should have gone from a little grainy to very elastic and smooth (fig.5). 

Take out a casserole dish and lightly flour the bottom. Now to divide the dough. I eyeball it (1" diameter for tacos, 2" burritos, 3" for burros) you can use a scale or whatever you like. Take heed, from here on the

Figure 6

roundness of the balls will impact the roundness of the tortillas. To get the dough into perfect round balls pinch or pick-up one of your pre-weighed pieces and form a circle with your thumb and forefinger and place the dough in the palm of that hand and begin pushing the dough through the circle with your index finger on your opposite hand (fig 6). 

figure 7

What you are trying to do is create bag or a sock that is folded into itself, image taking a sock and rolling it into itself whereby you continually stretch the outer sock by stuffing the rest of the sock inside it. Once it is round set it on the floured dish and after you're done dividing all the dough, set it in the oven for 30 minutes (fig. 7). *Allowing the dough to rest in a warm place will insure it easy to roll out.*

It's time to make the tortillas (sequence left to below). Heat a pan (high heat, it will smoke), I use cast iron or high carbon iron. Flour the counter top and a ball of dough begin to flatten the ball with palm of you hand until you have made it into a small disc (here is where it really pays off to have warm dough). Next use a rolling pin to roll out the tortilla. I roll away from myself by starting in the center rolling outward. After every stroke I turn the dough 1/4 turn and repeat until the tortilla is very

thin. Shake off any excess flour then into the hot pan. Bubbles will form turn the tortilla when the spots turn dark brown or black. And repeat on the
other side. I directly stack my tortillas it will keep them warm 

I use the pan upside down to make X-large tortillas

and from drying out.