Homemade tortillas and I shut my mouth! Goodness gracious, the minute you try a homemade tortilla you will wonder why on earth you haven’t been eating this way all your life. Does this take more time than simply buying pre-made, pre-packed tortillas at the grocery store? Why yes, but not that much more time. And it takes little effort – combine ingredients of flour, salt, lard, and water and you have the makings of a simple new food experience that will change the way you eat Mexican. So get ready to turn your kitchen into a cantina and realize why made from scratch is always better. You can also freeze any tortillas you do not use or double the batch so you have enough to freeze and reuse for later.
Homemade Tortillas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard (you can substitute vegetable oil for lard to make it vegan)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup warm water
Directions:
Stir together flour with salt in a bowl, then cut in lard with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles meal. Drizzle vegetable oil over and stir in warm water with a fork until a dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, dusting hands with flour as needed. Form dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap.
Heat a dry well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot.
Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and form into small balls.
Roll out evenly one ball at a time or use a tortilla press to make 7-inch round tortillas. Make sure to use just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking to pin or press. Keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap. Cook each tortilla in the skillet while rolling the next.
Tortilla will bubble and puff, and bottom will be golden brown in spots in about 30 seconds, flip and cook other side. Stack and cover cooked tortillas in a towel-lined basket or plate. They are ready to serve! They can also be refrigerated or frozen and reheated for later use.