By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: July 01, 2019
When I started making my own homemade corn tortillas, it opened up a new world for me. My own tortillas taste better and eliminate yet another item on my perpetually incomplete weekly grocery list.
I only have to buy a 4 pound bag of masa once a month, for the same price as one or two packages of pre-made, inferior tortillas. With that single purchase I can make at least 5 or 6 batches of my own tortillas.
Homemade vs. store bought
The ones I make crisp up more delicately on the second and third day, and don’t need freezing because I gobble them up quicker than the store bought. With no disrespect to tortilla manufacturers who mass produce their product, the work of my own two hands is in a class by itself.
Differences between homemade and store bought food astound me. At the professional kitchen where I volunteer, the baker prepares breads that taste unique and wonderful, which are sliced by hand. Store-bought bread is sliced by machine and the taste and texture are lackluster in comparison.
How to make tortillas
Tortillas, a classic and simple flat bread, is made with 2 basic ingredients, masa harina and water. You don’t need a special tortilla press, either. I flatten out balls of dough sandwiched between two plastic bags underneath a small wooden cutting board and on top of a wooden surface.
- 2 cups / 240 grams masa harina
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
Mix the above ingredients until there’s a soft and thoroughly moist dough.
Let the dough sit under a moist, clean cloth, or roll into smooth balls right away.
Flatten each ball between two plastic bags, pressing down on the top plastic bag with a small wooden cutting board.
Once the dough is flat and round, in the shape of a tortilla, you can peel it off of the plastic bag below it and place it on a dry skillet that has been heated over medium heat.
Heat each tortilla for 30 seconds on one side, then use a spatula to flip it to the other side for 30 more seconds. Flip it one more time and heat for 30 more seconds.
Remove tortilla from heat after cooking as instructed. Place in a dry towel and keep warm until ready to eat.
Toppings
You can heat the tortillas with any combination you like of the following toppings. They can become quesadillas, tacos, or the basis for a Latin casserole (similar to lasagna, in layers.)
I haven’t been able to roll them into enchiladas or burritos yet. They fold into tacos very nicely and they taste great in a casserole with a tomato/chili sauce, cheese, vegetables, and beans or toasted in a pan with cheese and/or simple avocado slices.
- Grated cheese or vegan cheese shreds
- Pinto or black beans
- Avocado slices
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Sour cream (vegan or otherwise)
- Grilled vegetables
I hope you’ll find joy creating wonderful vegetarian cuisine with any of the above combinations. With the ease of making them yourself, you’ll find homemade tortillas wonderful for the whole family, and your skills will last a lifetime.
By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, lives in Boone, NC, and volunteers for a better world.
