Best ingredients for homemade tortillas?

[eridani]

Just got a tortilla press, and am eager to begin experimenting.

[Lucinda]

1. This link has my base recipe and I use the same basic technique

http://www.myhomecooking.net/mexican-food-recipes/corn-tortilla-recipe.htm

I use one large plastic zip bag and cut it open though. Place the dough ball between the layers and press. There are azillion variations from this base recipe.

[htuttle]

2. Before all the exotic 'blue corn, lime and sea salt' people get here...

Here's how a old guy from Brownsville once taught me:

A small handful of flour for each one. Add some salt and a bit of baking powder. Fork in some butter. Add enough water to make it start to congeal, and start kneading it in the bowl, adjusting it with flour and water until it's a little bit dry, but holds together.

Knead it in your hands for about 4 minutes or until it seems smooth. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Roll out into thin 8 inch circles and cook in a skillet.

[troubleinwinter]

3. I have a tortilla press, love it, but have never made tortillas!

I use it to flatten the dough for Russian Piroshki. In the past, I'd stretched by hand, used rolling pin, even a pasta roller! The press is the best and easiest, by far.



And I use it for tamales! I lay down the cornhusks in the press, put a blob of masa dough on, cover with plastic wrap and press. Then I wrap the masa/husks around filling. Makes it sooooo simple.

So, while I can't help with tortillas, you may start thinking of other uses for it.

[troubleinwinter]

6. I also love to make Navajo fry bread.

I always struggle some to try to make a flat round with the wet dough. Just in this conversation, I considered that the press might work for that (maybe too wet, though). But I was taught how to make it by Navajo elder women friends, and I think I would be a complete chicken and cop-out to resort to the press anyway, for that particular project.

[Warpy]

4. Just remember to use the plastic bag

I've used everything from bread wrappers to produce bags. Trust me, it's a lot easier to peel that tortilla off plastic than it is to unweld it from the press.

I've also used it for a tapioca flour based wrapper for dim sum. That stuff is strange and requires no plastic.

[troubleinwinter]

5. I would love to hear about your dim sum!!

Are they steamed?

Yep, you are right.... gotta use plastic!

[Warpy]

7. Yes, they were steamed

and the tapioca flour wrapping turned translucent, showing off the combination of shrimp and cabbage inside. They were a pain in the ass to make but show stoppingly gorgeous.

[kestrel91316]

8. I just buy a bag of masa harina and add water per the instructions.

Press out, cook on a dry cast iron skillet a minute. Voila!