Fresh Corn Tortillas
We had fresh corn tortillas made for us at every meal during our recent McDougall Adventure to Costa Rica. We all watched with amazement as the lady making tortillas made perfectly round tortillas by hand all day long. The recipe is very simple, but the forming of the tortillas may take a bit of practice. A tortilla press may help in the process. Cook the tortillas one at a time in a non-stick frying pan.
Serves: Makes 16 tortillas
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients
Directions
1 Combine the masa harina and water in a large bowl. Mix well and knead with your hands for several minutes until the dough is smooth and thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
2 Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat until a drop of water bounces on it. Take a piece of the dough, about 1 1/2 inches in size, and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball between two pieces of waxed paper using your hands, a tortilla press, or a small heavy frying pan until it is about 5 inches in diameter and about 1/16 inch thick. Peel off the waxed paper and place tortilla on the hot pan. Cook until lightly browned on each side. Place in a cloth-covered basket. Repeat until all tortillas are done.
Hint: Masa Harina is corn flour made especially for tortillas. You may find it in some supermarkets, but most likely you will need to go to a Mexican or Latin American market to purchase this. Store any unused Masa Harina in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh.
