Advanced Flour tortillas also known as flatbread

 Advanced Flour tortillas, also known as flatbread, can be made with only flour and water. (Now we add the other items.)

 

 

How to make:

1 part flour + a quarter part water.

Example: 4 cups of white flour (about 480-500 grams, depending on the source, (Plus a bit of flour for rolling out.))

1 teaspoon table salt (about 6 g, don’t add extra salt)

1 ½ to 2 teaspoons baking powder (1 tsp is 5 g and 2 tsp is 10 g. so approx. 7 g)

1 2/3 cup very warm water, at 98.5 or 37 degrees C. (Since you don’t have a thermometer in this exercise, try for a very warm bath water temperature.) 

2 ½ tablespoons Lard (about 31.62 g. (12.81 g. per Tbsp.) Traditional.))

Oil alternative. Butter 3 tablespoons (about 43g.) Or a bit over ⅓ cup vegetable oil, extra virgin olive oil, or a neutral oil like Canola oil, not Peanut or Coconut oil. (Unless you want Coconut flavored tortillas.)

By Hand

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix in the lard (or alternative oil) with your fingers until the flour looks like cornmeal. 

Add the water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. (Note: Grandma did not even bother with a bowl)

Gradually add the warm water while you knead the dough. Use your fingers, fork, wooden spoon, Danish whisk (dough whisk), stout spatula, or dough hook in a stand mixer.

Add water until it forms a dough ball that will be elastic and not sticky.

 Add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach a bread dough that doesn’t stick to your hands. 

Or add more flour if too sticky. It must form a dough ball. (Practice makes perfect)

 

By Mixer

Of course, if you have a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix on medium-low speed until all the ingredients come together into a dough. 

Dry ingredients first, then add lard (or oil) and finally the water. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adjusting the water or flour as necessary to get a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides of the bowl but still sticks to the bottom.

 

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 20-24 equal portions. Coat each portion with flour.

 Form each piece into a ball and flatten it with the palm of your hand. Cover flattened dough balls with a kitchen towel (preferably a clean one). 

The balls should be bigger than golf balls. Sprinkle some extra flour around each ball if too sticky. (55-gram dough ball using a kitchen scale (should you have a scale handy)) 

After you make a few, you will get a size that works with your equipment and style.

 

Leave for at least 15–20 minutes to rest. (Note: depending on the room temperature, you might need to let the dough rest for 30 minutes or even an hour or more.)

Roll as thinly as it’ll go. Heat your pan on high/medium-high heat and throw your rolled-out dough on it. 

Do not add oil to the pan, or it will fry the tortillas. (That is a different recipe.)

 Cook on both sides. (More below.)

 

Flour—all-purpose wheat flour is the best, but whole wheat and white spelt flour works for this recipe.

(Note: The Whole wheat and spelt flours will not puff up as well as the All-Propose flour, and you may overcook it. Additionally, the chew/texture/taste is not the same.)

 

If you do not have a tortilla press, Use a well-floured surface and place your dough ball on top.

 Roll it out using a rolling pin until the dough is thin and evenly spread out. Roll one direction, north to south, then east to west. (example)

 A bottle will work if you don’t have a rolling pin handy.

You can sprinkle extra flour (as needed) to make the rolling process easier.

 

 Should you have a tortilla press, It is easier to add a folded piece of parchment paper to the tortilla press before pressing the dough or cut a sandwich bag for a folded sheet of plastic.

 Take the dough ball and place it in the center of the press. Press down firmly until the dough is thin and evenly spread; turn the parchment/plastic 180 degrees (Half a circle) and lightly press again.

(The quality of the press and hand/arm strength will determine if you need to rotate the dough. Odds are you can skip this.)

 

Roll the tortillas fairly thin. You want them about 6 inches in diameter (15 cm) and to look a bit translucent if you hold them up to the light. 

Thick tortillas will not be tender.

 

 

Pro tip: Keep a warm, slightly damp towel over the remaining dough to avoid letting it dry out. And keep a towel over the cooked tortillas.

 

 

Use a griddle, 10–12-inch pan, pancake, or crepe pan, and do not oil the pan, or it will fry the tortilla. The pan must be very hot.

 

Place the tortilla on the hot pan, cook it for 20-90 seconds on one side, then flip over, cook for 20-90 more seconds, and flip again.

 Press with your spatula (or a big spoon) in the middle of the tortillas; it will help them puff.

Cook until the bottom surface has a few pale brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. 

If browning too fast, reduce the heat. If it’s taking longer than a minute to see a few pale golden-brown spots on the underside of the tortillas, increase the heat. 

Flip to the other side and cook for 20-90 seconds. The tortillas should be soft but have some small brown spots on the surface.

Repeat for the next tortillas until they are all cooked.

 Allow your tortillas to steam each other. Stack them directly after cooking and keep them covered with a towel. 

This helps them steam each other and remain soft.

 

 

Storage: Store in an airtight container or zippered bag at room temperature for 24 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week. (Mold is bad, throw them away)

To freeze, separate tortillas with waxed paper, parchment paper, or cut-up plastic bags and place them in a plastic container or zippered bag before placing them in the freezer. 

(The paper/plastic is used to separate the tortillas, so you don’t wind up with a frozen tortilla rock.)

 

 

When ready to use, place a barely damp paper towel in the bottom of a microwave-safe container. Microwave uncovered for 12-40 seconds (start with 12) or until warm, then keep covered with a lid or towel to hold heat while serving. (You may need to shuffle them a bit to provide even heating.)

 If your microwave is dead, you can use your pan on low/medium heat to warm them one at a time. (Don’t forget to cover until served.)

 

 

 

Besides being used as a component of a burrito, these are good by themselves or as a thin-crust pizza. 

Brush a bit of olive oil or tomato sauce on it, add pizza toppings, and bake at 400 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes.

 Or

 Brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. (That will shut them up (for a minute))

 Or

Sandwich wrap…..etc

Lastly

brush them with a teaspoon of olive oil on both sides, then sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt, garlic salt, or kosher salt. (I do not recommend table salt)

Bake for 4-6 minutes at 425˚F.  Use as a chip (Handy for ones that are getting a bit old.)

 

   

 

Last note: You will find a thousand variations on how to make these on the internet.

Practice, and you will find one that suits you.  After the practice, you will look like you have done this all your life.

 

 

As a side, side note, Roti bread is one of the numerous Indian staple dishes that must be mentioned. But in the end, it is a tortilla.  

 

According to the internet, for nutrition information.

 

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Servings Per Recipe: 24

Calories: 86.1

% Daily Value *

protein: 2.2g 4 %

carbohydrates: 16g 5 %

fat: 1.3g 2 %

dietary fiber: 0.6g 2 %

sugars: 0.1g

saturated fat: 0.5g 2 %

cholesterol: 1mg

niacin: 1.6mg 12 %

folate: 38.3mcg 10 %

calcium: 26.2mg 3 %

iron: 1mg 6 %

magnesium: 4.8mg 2 %

potassium: 22.6mg 1 %

sodium: 138.8mg 6 %

thiamin: 0.2mg 16 %

calories from fat: 11.6

 

That said, Please review the Nutrition Disclaimer; there are too many variables to give an accurate list of the nutritional value of anything. I suggest you read the package to better understand what is in your food. Again, see the Nutrition Disclaimer. 

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