Homemade Tortillas

Instead of the insipid gummy blandness of store-bought tortillas, these were substantial and flavorful. The slightly blackened spots added an almost smoky taste. These were more than just a vehicle for getting meat, cheese, and vegetables to your mouth! Crisp and slightly chewy at the same time - delicious.

Were they easy? Well, they take a bit of planning. They could certainly be made ahead of time and rewarmed in a dry skillet. There is no yeast involved, so there is no rising time, but the dough does need to rest.

I found the recipe on a blog called the Homesick Texan (http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/03/and-end-to-my-quest-flour-tortillas.html) which is a great find as well! I'll be visiting often to try her recipes.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

Two cups all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-

wheat flour for white flour)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3/4 cups warm milk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.

Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes.

After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s very thin and about eight inches in diameter. Don’t overwork the dough, or it’ll be stiff.

Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook. Gently shake off excess flour. In a dry skillet heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat. Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil. While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so. Makes eight tortillas.