I made my first attempt at corn tortillas today. Ultimately, they came out good, but more in spite of than because of the recipe I used. It had way too much water. Of course, I added flour to fix it, but I had to add a LOT of flour. I welcome suggestions about the right ratio. Learning to handle the dough so I could easily remove it from the parchment took a little experimenting but I figured it out. After forming each ball of dough, I rolled it in a little flour- just a a light coating. That kept it from sticking. I cooked on the cast-iron griddle. Once done, I took 2 and made a little cheese sandwich, with just a dab of butter.
I keep seeing the word "flour" here. Assuming you mean corn flour? Specifically nixtamalized corn flour? Maseca is the big one, but there are others. Nixtamalized is the key word to look for. Most recipes call for something like 1 part water to 2 parts masa to start. It will still be crumbly. Then gradually work in more water, just to the point where you can form a solid ball. Then you should be able to tear off pieces, roll, and flatten.
Yes, @Frijolero I did use Masa Harina flour. This time I am using King Arthur. I have heard good things about Bob’s Red Mill Masa, so I may try that next. The only reason I didn’t try Maseca is that it doesn’t come in any smaller sizes and I just didn’t want to commit to that much of something right now.
I made a second batch today, using less water. Came out yummy & dough was easier to handle. Posting the recipe posthaste.
Still experimenting with different brands of masa flour. I wasn’t crazy about the Bob’s RedMill- too gritty. Using Maseca now. So far so good. Does anyone here have a favorite brand?
The one other brand I've used and like is masabrosa. Not quite as everywhere as maseca, but fairly common. Or if you really want to dive down the rabbit hole you can grab some pickling lime and nixtamalize your own corn. Haven't yet tried that myself, but it's on my list. https://www.seriouseats.com/nixtamalized-corn-tortilla-masa-recipe
Thanks @Frijolero I don't think I want to go that far down the rabbit hole, but I am interested in trying different brands of masa marina, for comparison.
I have been trying some different brands & varieties of the masa harina flour. So far, I really like Masienda best. It is pricey, but very flavorful and has about twice the fiber of the mass-produced brands. Today I used the blue corn masa for the first time. Color is not so appealing but it is quite tasty. A bit less nutty & more fruity compared to their white masa.
How I make them. First off I've tried some flours but the one I like that's locally avaliable. I add water as directed on the back. Mix well, then as directed add water one teaspoon at a time till I get a soft dough. Not dry or slimy. Then form a ball, put it in a zip lock bag, let it sit for a half hour, at least. Then I form it into 1 ounce balls, put a plastic 1 gallon freezer bag with the sides and top cut off on my press. Put my ball off center tword the hinge between the plastic and press. Then peal the tortilla off the plastic and put on a griddle that's around 350 degrees F, no grease needed. I've broken quite a few presses, but this one so far has held out. The secret is to let your dough rest. If it's got enough liquid in it it will be fine. Good luck! Edit... When you get it down pat, make 2 ounce balls and make a bigger tortilla, then you can use it as a wrap. tp
In case you break yours I looked up what I bought. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QDZRCCY/?tag=thshde-20 I have the 10 inch, I wish I bought the 12 inch. tp
All nice presses! I have almost used up the Masienda blue masa marina. I am going to try the red next. Has anyone used any red or blue masa harina?
My wife makes some pretty good tortillas, and uses the Maseca Masa too. She loves Tex/Mex food, as do I, and it starts with the right ingredients. It helps that she works with and we have many friends that grew up making Mexican, Guatemalan, and Brazilian foods, in their native countries. My wife specializes in the Latin American dishes, and I specialize in Italian, German, American, Cajun, French, etc. One thing we need is a good Tortilla Press. That would make life easier, for the wife. I will probably order the one @Terry talked about.
The blue is tasty, but frankly looks rather unappealing. It's more of an ash grey. The taste is subtle & a bit sweeter. The red (I made my second batch of those this week) is more robust. The aroma & taste are more pronounced.
