FLOUR TORTILLAS Makes 1 dozen

 Flour Tortilla                from demo and hands on class by  Concha Kurocik

2 heaping cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients together

 

Add scant ¾ cup shortening to dry ingredients- mixing until crumbling

(texture will resemble corn meal)

            Test:  grab a handful of mix and squeeze, if mixture crumbles add 1 Tbs. more shortening.  If mix adheres together readily- add ¼ c. more flour.

 

Add 1 to 1 ¾ cup hot water:  Start with 1 cup mixing together with hands or pastry blender gathering all flour together.

·       On humid days it takes less water. On hot, dry days you may need to add more.                                         

            Test:  place four fingers into dough.  If fingers come out clean dough is ready.

Divide dough into 12 golf ball size portions, forming balls.  Lay out single layer and cover with plastic to rest 10-15 minutes.

 

Roll out into circles using just enough flour to keep from sticking. 

* A 11” long dowel (diameter of broom stick) works well as a rolling pin. Larger rolling pins are more difficult rolling out tortillas.  Place on a hot griddle 400 degrees browning on each side as tortilla turns bubbly (about 10-15 seconds)

 

            *Tips:   If tortillas are brittle- you are over cooking

                        If tortillas are translucent you’ve used too much shortening