May 30, 2010 - 4:53pm
Tortillas
I am wondering if anyone else has experience with making tortillas. I have been making them for years using a flour, baking powder, water (sometimes milk), salt and oil recipe. I tried the recipe in Crust and Crumb a while back and had poor results. I re-visited the recipe today adding some baking powder and had great results. Is there an error in the recipe or does it work for some without? I use the skillet method for baking, tried the oven/stone and it did not work for me. Just wondering if others have had different results.
Thanks, Maggie
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It uses a large amount of boiling water and, of course, lard or bacon drippings. I haven't made it yet so I can't vouch for it except to say I've made several other recipes listed on that website.
http://www.tazadechocolate.blogspot.com/2008/07/flour-tortillas-from-lady-of-hacienda.html
I grew up in Latin America and, as a US resident, I have been searching for years for the right recipe - one that tasted like I remember. I have a super sensitive palate and could always taste the baking powder, baking soda, etc. in the recipes. They were all a disappointment. What I wanted was to taste the tortillas!
This week I made the sourdough tortillas found at the link below and I finally found the taste, texture and look I remember. I will never have a need for another recipe again.
http://northwestsourdough.wordpress.com/2009/10/03/sourdough-tortillas/
Cheers!
~Jeannette
Hi Maggie,
I am getting ready to send some of my starter, along with a copy of the sourdough tortillas, to a childhood friend living in the US who is in search of flour tortillas with the taste we remember as children when we lived in Central America. She too has tried a variety of recipes and cannot find the right one! I think she'll be pleased with the results of this one.
If you are interested in getting some dehydrated sourdough plus instructions on how to reconstitute it I'd be delighted to send some your way. Just PM me your mailing address!
Cheers!
Jeannette
Hi Maggie,
A former NM'n here, born and raised, but somehow living in the NW now :-) I too mostly use a recipe similar to what you initially describe with B. powder. It was handed down to me by my "second" mother, a Silver City native. On occassion, I have used unleavined - just flour, water and oil. I think it helps to have a very soft, high hydration dough, roll thin (with a chunk of old broom stick) and a red hot pan or stone. Both help generate the steam you need and which will be the only leavining you get. I also pop them in a plastic bag right off the pan and let them "sweat a bit" to soften.
Damn! Now you've got me thinking about good NM food! Try finding that in N. Idaho! :-)
Have you used Comida Sabrosa (book) before? It is the most "authentic" (as in what I was taught) NM cookbook I've come across. Mine is "dogged eared" to the point of falling apart........
Pdiff
Thanks Pdiff!
I will try a higher hydration and see how it goes. I also like having them "sweat" while still hot, it seems to make a better texture.
I will enjoy some local NM food for you! Hope you can grow some Hatch chilis up there!
Thanks for the cookbook info, I have not seen it , but am eager to check it out.
Maggie
Well, enjoy, enjoy! I'll make do as I can. Chilis can be grown, but they turn out very mild. There are a few places in the Yakima Valley of central Washington that grow some, but they didn't live up to my expectations. Certainly not Hatch quality. It really takes the dry heat to kick them up. I do have my sources down that way, however, who keep me supplied ;-) Man, I miss that roasting smell in the fall, though ...
Keep in mind that, while the unleavined will work, it probably will never match the baking powder version. The sourdough option is an interesting one. I might like to try that on a sopapilla recipe...
Hi Maggie,
My family is french but had a wonderful family helper from Sonora for 21 years.
I think I might know a thing or two regarding tortillas, she used to make them every single Friday! Tortillas can be all different depending of the region ie Pepita's, hers used to be huge probably a meter in diameter, all water/salt/flour baked outdoors called 'tortillas de agua'. Over the years she tried smaller [indoor] version using many flours/fats and sometimes baking powder. My family today has a favorite: AP flour/salt/water/milk/butter/and little baking powder if the can is full, not that you need it....but I can't stand trashing things, lol.