On Making Tortillas—with love!

by Judy Cooper Lyle
published December 1, 08

Making flour tortillas is an act of love, much like making bread or pie crust. One’s heart has to be in it, and the love slides right on down your arms, through your hands, and into those tortillas.

I grew up on a farm in North Dakota, and I watched my mother make bread about three times a week. I saw her put her heart, and her love, into that bread as she kneaded it, slapped it onto the cupboard, and kneaded it again. Then it was set to rise. And then the buns, or the loaves, were shaped. They were beautiful works of art, as she set them on the cupboard to rise again! After this second “setting”, the loaves and buns went into the oven, and soon the wonderful smell of that homemade bread filled the house and wafted out onto the porch and beyond. I cannot count the many times I came home from school to find that beautiful fresh bread on the cupboard. It was wonderful, warm, slathered with real butter, melting and running over the side of the bun and down my chin and arm. What heaven! This bread was the mainstay of my mother’s farm cooking, and large baskets of it accompanied every meal. I cannot fathom why my entire family didn’t grow to each weigh 500 pounds, but we probably didn’t because work on the farm kept us busy and active.

Tortillas are the mainstay of Mexican and Tex Mex cooking. The tortilla wraps refried beans in its arms to make burritos, folds over to cradle an endless array of fillings to make tacos, or is fried again, flat in the fry pan, and topped with refried beans to make wonderful homemade chalupas. Its uses are endless, and once you have tasted homemade, there’s no turning back!

I watched my first husband’s mother make tortillas, which she did nearly every day. They were nothing like the flat, skinny tortillas you can buy in the store, doughy and tasteless. They were fat and fluffy, with texture and taste. I could not imagine a meal at her house without them. I vowed to learn to make them, and happily, I did. Now, they are a mainstay at my house, as I entertain my wonderfully wide array of friends, and my three different families, and host theatrical cast parties. I present the recipe here, with the precaution that although it looks simple, it does take practice. And, lots of love!!

Flour Tortillas
Recipe makes about 10 – 12 tortillas
2 ½ cups unbleached flour
6 (scant) tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup warm water (approximate)

Mix the ingredients together until the dough is “crumbly.” Then, slowly add the warm water, stirring as you add. Stir together, then mix with your hands. The dough should hold together, not crumble, and not stick to your hand. Cover, and let stand for about 5 minutes. Next, separate the dough into 10 – 12 “patties”, flatten them, and roll with a rolling pin into flat, round tortillas. It’s important to avoid handling the dough more than necessary during preparation, or it will get tough.

Fry the tortilla on a hot skillet (preferably cast iron, preheated) until browned lightly, both sides. Put them under a cloth, in a basket or a stone bowl, and let the steam soften them before eating.

I won’t promise you success the first time, but after you’ve made them a few times, you’ll get to know how the dough should feel. Remain determined—-once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it’s simple, and you will never eat “store bought” again!
This recipe, and many others, can be found in my new cookbook, Chicano Cooking for Gringos, with basic Tex-Mex recipes for the novice. You can order my book by writing to me at phyllisproductions@msn.com. It is also available at Amazon Books, The Color Wheel Gallery, and 42nd Street Gifts.
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Judy has been the artistic director of The Urban Spectrum Theatre for 35 years, producing multicultural shows for the inner city.