3-Ingredient Authentic Mexican Corn Tortillas
This 3-Ingredient Authentic Mexican Corn Tortillas recipe is the best Theyre better than store bought tortillas are healthy and are a great gluten-free option
This 3-Ingredient Authentic Mexican Corn Tortillas recipe is the best Theyre better than store bought tortillas are healthy and are a great gluten-free option
- Carbohydrate 28.4741333333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.4112 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 3.48693333333333 g
- Saturated Fat 0.198613333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Tortilla (67g)
- Sodium 75.7229166666667 mg
- Sugar 28.4741333333333 g
- Trans Fat 0.196746666666666 g
- Calories 136 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, mix salt and masa harina together.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of hot water into the dough and mix with a spoon or your hand to form a big ball. The dough should be firm and springy when touched, not dry or super sticky. If the mixture is too dry and it needs some more water, add it in small amounts until dough is the right consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth napkin and let the dough rest for about an hour.
- Preheat a griddle or large frying pan on medium-high heat.
- Pinch off a golf-ball sized piece of masa harina and form it into a ball by rolling it in a circular motion in the palm of your hand.
- Put the masa ball in between two pieces of plastic wrap, parchment or wax paper and flatten it using the tortilla press.
- Gently remove the flattened masa from the plastic wrap and cook on the hot griddle for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how hot the surface of the griddle is. You want the tortilla to have beautiful brown marks.
- Flip the tortilla over and cook on the other side for 30 seconds to about 1 minute. The tortilla may start to puff up in the middle, That's okay!
- Remove the tortilla and place it between a cloth napkin or a tortilla warmer to keep it warm.
- Repeat steps 5-9 until all the dough is gone.
Using cold tap water instead of hot water yields a stiff, unyielding masa that cracks under pressure. Hot water hydrates the finely ground nixtamalized corn flour rapidly, gelatinizing the starches necessary for a pliable dough that holds its shape without crumbling. Resting the mixed dough for sixty minutes allows the moisture to distribute evenly through every particle of flour, transforming a gritty mixture into a springy, cohesive mass.
Controlling surface temperature determines whether the tortilla remains soft or turns into a brittle chip. Preheat a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly, then cook each flattened disk for thirty to sixty seconds per side. Flipping precisely when the edges begin to curl upward prevents scorching while encouraging the internal steam to inflate the center.
Stacking freshly cooked rounds inside an insulated cloth napkin traps ambient moisture, softening the outer crust during the final batch. Those managing gluten intolerances require no modifications here, because masa harina consists entirely of naturally gluten-free field corn treated with lime.
