Add a new dimension to your flour and corn tortillas with spices, veggies and other flavors (2024)

Making tortillas isn't any more challenging than biscuits. Maybe easier. As with biscuits, tortillas — fresh, hot and homemade — are a special gift to whomever gets to eat them. Especially when they are spiced or flavored to add a new dimension of taste and color.

Why, you may ask, go to the trouble of makingtortillas at home when there are flour and corn tortillas aplenty on supermarket shelves? Because the aroma and taste of tortillas hot off the comal (iron griddle)is incomparable.

You can flavor, spice and color homemade flour and corn tortillas any way you want. It's all about what you add to the masa. Try spinach, lime and cilantro, sweet potato or pumpkin, red chile, cumin, garlic, black beans or roasted green chiles.And be sure to add blue corn masa to your tortilla rainbow.

Endless flavors

Anastacia Quinones is known for her flavored corn tortillas, and began mixing it up whenshe was chef at Cedars Social in Dallas.

"Everyone sees Mexican food as brown, cream, yellow and red," she says. She wanted to add color variety as well as flavor to her tacos, and began by adding a puree of carrots and habanero chiles to corn masa for tortillas. She expanded to everything from basil tosriracha.She recommends Maseca Nixtamasa Corn Masa Flour because the grind is a little coarser than regular corn masa flour.

Low-tech cooking

Making tortillas at home is a relatively low-tech operation that requires a rolling pin for flour and a cast-iron press for corn tortillas, and a comalto cook them. Or you can buy a gadget that looks like a big waffle iron with smooth plates that press and toast tortillas. Either way, there's a gentle learning curve that is worth the effort.

No matter how you cook them, you'll need a warmer. That can be as simple as a thick towel wrapped around the tortillas, a ceramic or plastic warming dish, or cloth warmer. Insulated cloth warmers are the most efficient to keep tortillas warm and supple.

The key to success with homemade tortillas is to have everything else ready so you can concentrate on making tortillas. Make ahead or buy and reheat fillings and sauces.

Dotty Griffith is a former food editor for The Dallas Morning News and author of The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook.

Flour Tortillas

2 cups all-purpose white flour, unbleached flour, or finely ground whole wheat flour (or a combination)

1 teaspoon baking powder (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup solid lard or vegetable shortening

1 cup warm water

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender, fork or two knives, mix in lard or shortening until flour looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually add warm water, stirring with a wooden spoon, to form a ball of dough.

Once dough is formed, lightly knead itin the bowl 30 times or as needed to form pliable, not sticky dough. Or knead on a lightly floured board.

Place kneaded dough in bowl or on pastry board. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest 1 hour. This is a good stopping place if you want to serve fresh tortillas later. Dough can rest 4 to 6 hoursif it is tightly covered with a layer of plastic wrap and a towel to prevent drying out. Do not refrigerate.

Pinch off pieces and shape dough into 10 to 12 even-sized balls. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rest another 20 to 30 minutes.

To roll flour tortillas: Lightly coat a pastry board with flour. Slightly flatten a ball of dough into a thick round patty. Using a rolling pin, press from the center to the edge of the dough.

Flip the dough and rotate 180 degrees each time you press with the rolling pin. To prevent sticking, lightly sprinkle surface of tortilla with small amount of flour each time you flip and turn the dough. Thickness should be no more than 1/8 inch or a little less than a hardbound book cover.

Stack tortillas between pieces of waxed paper and keep covered until all tortillas are rolled. Or drape tortillas over and around the edge of a large bowl and cover with a towel.

To bake flour tortillas: Preheat comal to 400 F. When comal is hot, lightly coat surface with vegetable oilusing a wad of paper towel, or lightly coat with cooking oil spray.

Place a tortilla on the comal. Using a spatula, flip the tortilla when a few bubbles break the surface, after about 30 seconds. Cook the other side, another 30 seconds or until tortilla has a few light brown spots on each side.

Repeat with remaining tortillas, oiling the surface of the comal as needed.

Cool slightly then transfer to tortilla warmer to keep tortillas warm, soft and supple. Keep warm until all dough is used.

Makes 10 (10-inch) or 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas.

SOURCE:The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook by Dotty Griffith (Harvard Common Press)

About flavored flour tortillas

Flavoring and coloring flour tortillas is simply a matter of adding things to the basic dough. These flavoring recipes may require some tinkering to get the right consistency. Maybe a little more flour? Maybe a little more liquid? Once you get "the feel" for the tortilla dough of your choice, you will know how to adjust so that your flavored tortillas are soft and delicious.

Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Flour Tortillas: Once lard or shortening is combined with flour, gradually add 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato (canned or fresh) or pumpkin puree (canned or fresh) and 1/2cup hot water, plus additional as needed to form a ball of dough. Proceed as above.These are particularly good with pork orchicken or for use as dessert tortillas.

Cilantro Cumin Flour Tortillas: In blender jar or work bowl of food processor, combine 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon ground cumin or 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, and 1 cup water. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Use 1 cup of this liquid in the basic Flour Tortilla recipe. If needed, add hot water to make 1 cup.

Cilantro Lime Flour Tortillas: In blender jar or work bowl of food processor, combine 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1 cup hot water. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Use 1 cup of this liquid in the basic Flour Tortilla recipe. If needed, add hot water to make 1 cup.

Nut Butter Flour Tortillas:In a small bowl, use electric beaters or wooden spoon to combine 3 tablespoons creamy peanut, almond or ground nut butter of choice with solid fat called for in the basic Flour Tortilla recipe. Mix until well-blended. Optional: Add 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon to dry ingredients and 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar to the hot water.

Roasted Green Chile Flour Tortillas: Roast 2 large poblanos, 4 to 5 jalapeños, 6 to 8 serranos or other desired fresh chiles to make 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped roasted chiles. Place chopped chiles and 1 cup hot water in blender container or work bowl of food processor. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Use 1 cup of this liquid in the basic Flour Tortilla recipe. If needed, add hot water to make 1 cup.

Spinach Flour Tortillas: Rinse 3 cups lightly packed fresh spinach in a colander; drain but do not dry. Place damp spinach in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cover with lid and cook for 3 to 5 minutesuntil spinach is wilted. Transfer spinach and cooking liquid to a blender jar or work bowl of food processor. Process until well-blended and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Use 1 cup of pureed spinach liquid in the basic Flour Tortilla recipe. If needed, add hot water to make 1 cup.

Sriracha Flour Tortillas: Add 2 tablespoons sriracha to 1 cup hot water. Use as directedin the basic Flour Tortilla Recipe.

Sun Dried Tomato Flour Tortillas: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes to 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly. Transfer sun dried tomatoes and cooking liquid to a blender jar or work bowl of food processor. Process until well-blended and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Use 1 cup of this liquid in the basic Flour Tortilla recipe. If needed, add hot water to make 1 cup.

Corn Tortillas

2 cups masa harina (instant corn flour), white or yellow

2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached or gluten free flour (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups warm water (more as needed) or Flavor-Infused Liquid (see below)

In a medium bowl, whisk or stir together masa and flour if using, and salt.

Gradually add water and mix, using a wooden spoon or spatula and hands, until ingredients are well-blended. Knead for 20 to 30 seconds until dough is pliable. Dough should be moist enough to hold together. Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.

Divide dough into 12 golf ball-size orbs, shaping with your hands. Place each dough ball in a bowl and cover with damp towel to keep moist.

Press or roll each dough ball using tortilla press.

Using a manual tortilla press: Cut several pairs of square or round pieces of durable plastic from a food storage bag or clean shopping bag or parchment paper. Pieces should be at least 1 inch larger than the diameter of the tortilla press. Use these pieces of plastic or parchment paper to line the surfaces of the top and bottom plates of the press to keep tortillas from sticking.

When ready to press a corn tortilla, wet your hands to prevent sticking. Use your fingers and palms to somewhat flatten one ball of masa at a time into a thick disc, 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

Place sheet of plastic or paper on bottom disc of tortilla press and position masa slightly off center toward the back hinge of the press. Place sheet of plastic or paper on top of masa. Firmly (but not too hard) press down the top plate. Wiggle the handle slightly from side to side to evenly distribute the masa. Lift the top plate. Rotate the tortilla 180 degrees (a half turn) and lightly press again to make a 6-inch tortilla as thin as possible.

When tortilla is desired thickness, lift off top piece of plastic. Turn tortilla into your other hand and peel off top layer of plastic. Usea spatula or your fingers to flip tortilla onto a preheated comal or griddle. Reuse pieces of plastic until they tear or become sticky.

Preheat a comal or griddle over medium-high heat to about 375 F. The surface is ready when water sprinkled on the hot surface bubbles or "dances" and immediately evaporates.

Before cooking the corn tortillas, use a wad of paper towel to spread a light layer of vegetable oil on the surface of the preheated comal. Or lightly spray with vegetable oil.

On preheated cooking surface, cook the corn tortilla for about 15 seconds. This step sets the dough. Flip the corn tortilla and cook for about 1 minute or until tortilla puffs to let off steam. Flip tortilla again and cook about 1 to 2 minutes longer on the first side or until a few brown spots appear. Cool slightly then transfer to tortilla warmer to keep corn tortillas warm, soft and supple.

SOURCE: The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook by Dotty Griffith (Harvard Common Press)

About flavored corn tortillas

Flavoring and coloring corn tortillas is simply a matter of adding things to the basic dough. This can be done two ways, by adding dried herbs and spices or by infusing the tortillas with a flavored liquid.Use them in any recipe for corn tortillas.

Dry Ingredients:

Cumin Corn Tortillas: Add 1 tablespoon ground dried cumin to 2 cups masa harina and use as directed.

Garlic Corn Tortillas: Add 1 tablespoon granulated garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder (or to taste) to masa harina.

Red Chile Corn Tortillas: Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup (depending on desired heat level) ground dried red chile or chili powder to 2 cups masa harina.

Black Bean Corn Tortillas: Drain 1 cup canned black beans. In work bowl of food processor, combine drained black beans with 2 cups masa harina and salt. Process until ingredients are well-blended. Proceed as directed for Corn Tortillas, reducing liquid by about half or as needed.

Moist ingredients:

Cilantro and Cumin Corn Tortillas: In blender jar, combine 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon ground cumin or 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, and 1 1/4 cups water. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Use as directed for Corn Tortillas.

Cilantro Lime Corn Tortillas: In blender jar, combine 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1 1/4 cups water. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.

For Red Chile Corn Tortillas: Remove stems and seeds from enough dried red chiles (such as pasilla, ancho, guajillo) to make 1 cup, lightly packed. Rinse the chiles with cool water. Place chiles and 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside off heat for 10 minutes. In a blender jar or work bowl of a food processor, process chiles and their liquid until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the pureed chile mixture through a fine strainer into a small bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Add enough water to make 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups liquid.

For Roasted Green Chile Corn Tortillas:Place1/2 cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped roasted chileand 1 1/4 cups water in blender container or work bowl of food processor. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.

For Toasted Garlic Corn Tortillas: Peel enough garlic cloves to make 1 cup. Place cloves in single layer in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Toast until golden on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and toast until golden on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Place toasted garlic cloves and 1 1/4 cups water in blender container or work bowl of food processor. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.