Homemade tortilla shells?!
Homemade tortilla shells?
We cannot buy tortilla shells here and I have found a few recipes online but I was hoping for an easy tried recipe. How easy is it?
Answers:
It's not too difficult. If you have a tortilla press, it's not difficult at all.
My brother is the tortilla king around here. He uses Masa harina and water and salt, proportions as listed on the recipe on the masa sack. Kneed the dough twenty times. Wrap in plastic or waxed paper and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. (Letting the dough rest is important. Don't skip it.) Divide into balls the size appropriate for your press, or the size you want your tortillas to be if you're rolling them out. (My brother makes his just a little bigger than a golf ball.) As you make each ball, cover with a damp (NOT WET) paper towel. Roll out your dough into a circle, or just use a tortilla press. As you make each one, once again cover with the damp paper towel.
When they're all pressed or rolled out, heat a cast-iron skillet to 400F. Cook each tortilla separately, until just starting to get brown spots on it, flip and cook the other side the same. (Do not use any fat.) As each one is done, put it on a plate and cover with the damp towel again, or put into a tortilla warmer. They're ready!
Or you can seal them in a zipper bag and refrigerate, they'll stay good for about a week. Just microwave or heat them in the skillet again.
Source(s):
40+ years of cooking and baking
(My brother's been cooking and baking for almost as long.)
Tortilla shells are easy. It's just like making pizza dough
Corn tortillas are easier than flour (mainly because masa is available almost anywhere). Heck- even with a recipe and no masa, corn ones are pretty darn easy.
Flour ones are quite easy as well, as long as you've got a good recipe.
Just make sure that you're not planning on serving the first few- they may be odd shaped till you get the hang of rolling them out.
Biggest hint- LARD. Don't use any other fat. Sounds ucky but it's the only way to make them taste right.