Homemade Flour Tortillas

I know I don't look it, but I am actually 1/4 mexican. My grandpa was the real tamale :). That being the case, mexican food has always been part of my diet. I LOVE mexican food. One time when we were at my dad's aunts house, I asked if I could learn how to make flour tortillas. Flour tortillas were at every extended family function that included food. These ladies were PROS! They could whip out perfectly round tortillas so fast your head would spin. I claim no such expertise. I do, however, remember a few tips that I will share with you. First the recipe.

What you will need:

4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 tlbs. shortening

1 1/2 cups hot water

What you do:

Mix all dry ingredients together with a whisk. Add shortening by pinching it into the flour with your fingertips. Add hot water and mix until a dough forms. Again, use your hands. Let stand about 10 minutes. Pinch off small balls and set them around a space on the table with flour laid out for rolling. Let the balls of dough sit for another 10 minutes. Roll the tortillas flat and round. Cook on a very hot dry fry pan until brown spots appear. Turn over and cook other side. Keep tortillas wrapped in dish towel to keep warm.

Tips:

1. Don't use too much flour for rolling out the dough or tortillas will become too dry.

2. To get rounder tortillas, start with a round ball, press flat and roll. Turn dough 1/4 turn and roll again. Keep turning dough to keep the tortilla looking round.

3. The best rolling pin to use is actually a 1" wooden dowel cut to about 8" long. You can then keep the pressure in the middle of the dowel instead of the edges and you will get a more even tortilla

4. Thick homemade tortillas are the best. You will be tempted to leave the dough thick when rolling. Don't do this. Even at the thinnest you can roll it out, it will still be thicker than store bought. If you leave your dough too thick, you will be eating flatbread instead of tortillas.