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Chris's Variations on the theme of Tortillas 
Recipe ID: 143

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Cooking Time in Minutes ~1 per tortilla
Preparation Time in Minutes 1/2 hour or 30 mins
Servings 10+
Variations of tortillas exist everywhere so I'll shed some light on how impossibly easy it is to make amazing tortillas from scratch and even get pretty creative with it. Tortillas are at their core a base of flour and oil, with salt and baking powder, so with that you can make any kind of variation you want within those criteria on a scaleable level of proportions as follows. I like to start in the median range of the recipe because they get eatin REALLY quickly, often right off the grittle.

4 cups flour (bread flour, preferably unbleached, I have also tried mixtures of whole wheat, rye, blue cornmeal etc, so long as you have a glutinous dough)
1 tsp salt (kosher is best, if you put too little salt the tortillas will be flavorless, modulate the amount based off of wheter or not you change the water that's mixed in, more to follow)
2tsp Baking powder (aluminum free preferable, rotting your brain eating flatbread is kind of a drag)
1 cup warm water ( I like to dissolve some better than bullion in the water to give the tortillas a nice savory flavor, this isn't necessary but makes for some good tortillas)
1/2 cup oil, butter, or shortening. I have tried combinations of all and have found butter to be very flavorful, alongside beef shortening, though vegetable is just fine. I like to use 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening and a couple tbsp's of olive oil for flavor. I have also incorporated bacon grease into the mix, but that's a sinful treat all of its own.

Mix dry ingredients first to homogenize, cut in the shortening with a fork or knife and then add the water/broth and knead into a smooth dough, portion off the doung into roughly golf-ball sized balls, kneading each piece in between the palms in a circular motion to help develop the gluten chains in the dough, it should be nice and springy while warm. Cover the tortilla balls with a wet tea towel for 1-1 1/2 hours at room temp to let the glutens rest and soften. You can roll them out immediately and cook them if you're impatient, but I find it harder to roll out and they end up being too thick. If you are patient you'll be rewarded with nice large, thin tortillas.  To roll out just put a small dusting of flour on a cutting board or flat surface as well as your rolling pin and roll out in a circular pattern to give them a good shape, thickness depends on your skill but should be reasonably thin so that they cook quickly. Preheat a flat cast iron skillet for ~5 minutes on medium before putting on the first tortilla and adjust the heat as necessary, sometimes cast iron can get too hot and burn your tortillas. They should bubble rather quickly within 30 seconds. Brown each side and enjoy! The first one off the skillet is typically the best, since you're starving from the wait :)

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