# How do I make a tortilla? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768 "2003-10-05T23:04:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/1 "2003-10-05T23:04:47Z")
I would like a simple recipe for making basic flour tortillas. Does anyone have one? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/2 "2003-10-05T23:12:10Z")
I don’t have one here right now, but if you’re someplace the sells Maseca brand dry corn masa, there are directions on the bag. We’ve never gotten really good ones, though – I don’t know if it’s the Maseca or our technique. We get good tamales out of Maseca, though. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/3 "2003-10-05T23:15:15Z")
Buy a dozen roses and take them to the nearest nice cute girl (or guy if it suits your situation) who already knows how to make them. I got many a yummy tortilla that way. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/4 "2003-10-05T23:16:37Z")
[http://www.dianaskitchen.com/page/bread/tortilla.htm](http://www.dianaskitchen.com/page/bread/tortilla.htm) Flour Tortillas Serving Size : 12 4 cups Unbleached all purpose flour 2 teaspoons Salt 4 teaspoons Baking powder 2 tablespoons Vegetable shortening 1 1/2 cups Warm water or more if needed In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking powder. With a pastry blender, a fork or your hands, gradually work in the lard or shortening until it is all incorporated. Add enough warm water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 1/4 cup (3 oz) portions and form them into balls. Roll each ball into a flat round about 6 inches in diameter and 1/8 inches thick. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Place the tortillas one at a time into the dry hot skillet; cook until brown on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Remove from the skillet and keep warm in cloth towel. Source: Southwest cookbook ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/5 "2003-10-05T23:20:13Z")
Very cute, folks, but it doesn’t answer the question. Here’s some background: I have food allergies. One of them is to corn. I can NOT eat anything with corn. For years, I’ve been using wheat flour tortillas. This is fine, _when they’re made with just wheat_. Unfortunately, pure wheat products are getting harder and harder to find - they keep cutting the wheat with “malted barley flour”, which I am also allergic to. Therefore, I can no longer buy commercially made flour tortillas, at least none that are available in my area. Nor can I trust any random “cute guy or gal” as a means of obtaining them (not to mention the husband might object me giving roses to other folks). Fortunately, it is still possible to obtain pure wheat flour. So, I ask again - what is a recipe for making tortillas? Because if I can’t learn how to make them I may well never be able to eat them again in this life. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/6 "2003-10-05T23:22:50Z")
Fresh warm harinas. Yum. Can I come over? I’ll bring manteca and sugar. Do you have any idea how rare it is for mexican folks to make tortillas at home nowadays? Kinda like homemade bread for us gringos. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/7 "2003-10-05T23:27:59Z")
Thank you, **drachillix** - seems we simu-posted. **mangeorge** , what’s “manteca”? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/8 "2003-10-05T23:36:49Z")
Butter. And sometimes lard, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/9 "2003-10-05T23:43:45Z")
Manteca is pork lard. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/10 "2003-10-06T00:01:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. My recipe is about the same as yours, but this kneading thing is _far too much_ work. You can also get good reults if you just let the dough sit for 15 minutes after working in the water. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/11 "2003-10-06T00:06:58Z")
If you don’t knead, they won’t have that very slight rubbery mouth feel so desirable in flour tortillas. Just don’t over do it. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/12 "2003-10-06T00:16:06Z")
Before I go; 😉 Vegetable shortning is fine. Fresh lard is traditional, and _much_ tastier. One heaping tablespoon/12 = very little. Ok. That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/13 "2003-10-06T00:35:22Z")
**Broomstick** , you may wish to save yourself enormous amounts of time and energy by purchasing a [tortilla press.](http://www.boondocksnet.com/cgi-perl/apfh-item_id-B00004UE8E-search_type-image-locale-us.html) ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/14 "2003-10-06T01:45:16Z")
I was thinking of suggesting a tortilla press as well. I have [an electric model](http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=179129) that works beautifully. I’ve never been able to get the tortillas round _and_ flat by rolling or patting them, but the press does the job. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/15 "2003-10-06T03:14:32Z")
Since this is about cooking, I’ll move this thread to Cafe Society. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/16 "2003-10-06T03:43:26Z")
Tortilla presses work for corn tortillas but hand made flour tortillas are usually rolled out due to the elasticity of the dough. Corn \* masa\* will stay flat and hold it’s shape but the flour dough will tend to sort of _spring_ back out of shape, it is more like making pizza crust. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/17 "2003-10-06T09:33:55Z")
Thanks, all - Considering I used to bake 4-12 loaves of bread at a time, I doubt very much the amount of kneading and shaping called for in the recipe will be overwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/18 "2003-10-06T14:23:51Z")
I can’t believe someone actually wrote down the recipe. My mom and every mom I’ve ever known just kind of knew how to make them. She described it to me a few times "you get some warm water, almost hot but not too hot, some flour, about that much. You put some manteca, a little salt (the salt is measured by cupping your left hand tightly and pouring ‘just enough’ in it)… then I stop paying attention then wait till she’s done a few so I can steal one (dodging the swatting hand) and put butter on it cause they smell soooo good. I think writing down the recipe might be a sin or something, you should go to confession. are tortillas necessarily catholic? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/19 "2003-10-06T18:27:15Z")
So I tried the recipe posted by **drachillix** for a little midnight snack last night. Tasty, but I’d recommend about half the salt. Also, even though I rolled them very thin, they kindof stretched back and turned out about twice the thickness of normal tortillas. Also, for the life of me I couldn’t make them actually round. Tortilla presses were mentioned above, but I wondered if anyone else had any suggestions for manually making them. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768/20 "2003-10-06T19:29:19Z")
I’ll bet you could use a pasta maker for making the flour tortillas. The flour tortilla _tortilladoras_ are almost identical to the hand crank pasta makers, [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-a-tortilla/205768.md?page=2)