To make 12 Corn Tortillas
2 1/4cups instant masa harina (corn flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups cold water
In a mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt, and gradually pour
in 1 cup of water, stirring constantly. Knead the mixture with your
hands, adding more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough be-
comes firm and no longer sticks to the fingers. If you have a tortilla
press, break off small pieces of dough and shape them into balls the size
of a walnut. Place one ball at a time between two 8-inch squares of wax
paper, and press them into 5- to 6-inch circles. Or divide the dough into
3 or 4 batches and, with a rolling pin, roll each batch between long strips
of wax paper until the dough is about 1/16 inch thick. With a plate or
pot lid as a pattern, and a knife or pastry wheel, cut the dough into 5-
inch rounds. Stack the rounds between pieces of wax paper.
Preheat the oven to 2500
• Cook the tortillas one at a time. Heat an ungreased comal,
a cast-iron griddle or a 7 – to 8-inch cast-iron skillet over
moderate heat. Unwrap the tortilla and cook it for 2 minutes on each side,
turning it once with a spatula when the bottom becomes a delicate
brown. Adjust the heat if it browns too fast. As you proceed, wrap
the tortillas, 4 or 5 at a time, in foil, and keep them warm in the oven.
Tortillas may be cooked ahead and kept warm in the oven for 2 or 3
hours: Stack 10 together and wrap each batch with paper toweling, then
with a damp cloth and finally in foil. To rewarm tortillas, brush both
sides with water, and heat, one at a time, in a skillet for a few seconds.
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