Tortillas being made in a San Diego restaurant
(photo credit: Jon Sullivan)
How to make corn tortillas – Masa harina, which is widely available in most supermarkets, is the main ingredient in corn tortillas. Do not, however, confuse masa harina with cornmeal or polenta – they may look similar but they are not the same. Cornmeal is flour ground from corn while polenta is basically boiled cornmeal. In masa harina, a different type of corn is used as well as different processing techniques – the corn is first soaked in lime (to break down the hulls) and then the kernels are ground into a fine flour. You cannot substitute cornmeal as it will not produce the same results.
We use salt in the How To Make Corn Tortillas recipe, however, it may be omitted.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups masa harina
pinch of salt
1¼ cup warm water
This recipe makes approximately 12, 6-inch corn tortillas. Of course, the recipe may be doubled.
1. Using your hands, combine the masa harina, salt, and water together in a large bowl until the mixture forms a dough and comes together in a soft ball. Approximately 2 minutes.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured cutting board or counter top. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it becomes smooth and no longer sticky. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Don’t forget to cover it – masa dough drys out quickly! You should then let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes but it isn’t absolutely necessary. This dough may also be made for use later. If you want to use the dough later, wrap the whole dough ball in plastic wrap and set aside (or refrigerate) until you’re ready to press and form the tortillas. Use within 24 hours.
3. Divide the dough into 12 equal size pieces – each about the size of a golf ball. Again, masa dough dries out quickly! – remember to keep the dough covered as you work. Take one piece at a time and roll it between your hands to form a ball.
4. Open the tortilla press and lay a piece of plastic wrap on the bottom of the press. Place the ball of dough on the plastic wrap and slightly flatten the dough by pressing down on it with the palm of your hand. Now place a 2nd piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough. (I use a gallon size freezer bag instead of plastic wrap. I simply cut off the four edges of the bag (like cutting the crust off a piece of bread) and I then have my two pieces of plastic wrap. The greater thickness of the empty freezer bag seems to work much better for me. When I’m done, I simply wipe them clean and they’re good to use for next time.)
5. Close the press and press down firmly until the ball of dough is flattened. You may have to press down a few times, though with experience, once should be enough. The tortilla should be thin and round. If they’re not a perfect circle, that’s alright. They’re homemade!
6. Preheat a frying pan, skillet, griddle, or comal over medium-high heat. A heavy, cast-iron pan works best for this. It should be ungreased – do not add any oil to the pan.
7. Open the tortilla press and remove the tortilla while holding it between the two sheets of plastic wrap. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and transfer the tortilla, dough side down, to your other hand or directly onto the preheated pan. Then remove the 2nd piece of plastic wrap.
8. Cook the tortilla for about 30 seconds. Turn it over and cook the other side for 1 minute. Turn it over again to the first side and cook for an additional 30 seconds. The tortilla will usually puff slightly and have a few light char marks. That’s it… they’re done! Remove and continue cooking the rest of the tortillas until all of them are done.
9. Keep warm in a cloth towel or use a tortilla warmer. Repeat until all the tortillas are made.
Tips For How To Make Corn Tortillas
Remember, corn tortilla dough dries out extremely fast. The dough should be covered as soon as you make it and be kept covered as you work with it.
Always dampen your hands with a little water when handling the dough.
If the dough is too thick or grainy, add a little water – but no more than a teaspoon at a time.
If the dough is sticking to your hands or the plastic, it is probably too wet and a little flour should be added.
How To Store Tortillas
To store your fresh, homemade tortillas, let cool. Then place in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to a week.
Warming Tortillas
Tortillas may be reheated in a skillet or griddle (recommended way), or in a microwave oven.
Skillet: For best results, heat tortillas in an ungreased skillet over medium-high heat for approximately 15 seconds. Flip over and heat the other side for another 15 seconds.
Microwave: Place 4 to 6 tortillas between damp paper towels and microwave 30 to 40 seconds.
After using either method, wrap tortillas in a cloth or place in a tortilla warmer until ready to serve.
Our recipe for “How to Make Corn Tortillas” requires masa. Although masa is easily acquired at any major supermarket, if you want to learn how to make masa yourself, we have provided a video by Alton Brown (Good Eats TV show) which shows just that.