I'm a tortilla shell failure- any good ideas?

[The YardFarmers]

One of my SS goals is to not buy anything at the grocery store that I can make myself. So tried to make my own flour tortilla shells off and on this past year. Grrr. After trying a few different recipes, watching youtube instructions, I am still frustrated. They take too long, are very hard to roll out right, stick to the rolling pin, counter, cutting board, and I end up with sore arms (have fibromyalgia). I've read about tortilla presses, don't know if it would help and how well they would hold up, even if I could find one.

Would anyone be able to share the details of a recipe, type of rolling pin or press, what surface you use to roll dough out on, type of pan and the heat, and how best to keep them warm. Also how to get them to be flexible enough to make burritos without tearing?

Thank you very much!!

YardFarmer Julie

 

[The Vail Benton's]

Don't be discouraged! It takes alot of practice to roll a thin, round tortilla. I only make our flour tortillas - I haven't ventured into the realm of corn yet.
I use the recipe in this link and get very good results - We're pretty picky about our tortilla's since really good & authentic Mexican food is so "available" here. Just like with bread, you have to adjust the amounts depending on the humidity and such, but once you get the hang of it, it will be hard to ever eat a store bought tortilla again.
BTW, there is NOTHING like a flour tortilla fresh & hot off the cast iron griddle!!!

http://www.texascooking.com/features/sept98flourtortillas.htm

 

[big brown horse]

I had a tortilla press and I loved it. Although my Mexican friends laughed at me b/c you are supposed to roll out the flour tortillas. Use a smaller rolling pin too, like a dowel pin. The press is for corn tortillas so they say...I never follow the rules.

Good luck!

 

[The Vail Benton's]

I had a tortilla press and I loved it. Although my Mexican friends laughed at me b/c you are supposed to roll out the flour tortillas. Use a smaller rolling pin too, like a dowel pin. The press is for corn tortillas so they say...I never follow the rules.

Good luck!

Who makes up all those silly rules, anyway?

 

[big brown horse]

I know RIGHT!!!


I meant to add, use a bit of plastic wrap or waxed paper to sandwich your little dough ball before you roll or press it.

Are you using lard? The best ones are made with lard imo. YUM!!

My first rolled tortillas looked like the state of California btw, keep practicing. I gave up and bought a press...I'm too impatient.

 

[dragonlaurel]

One of my SS goals is to not buy anything at the grocery store that I can make myself. So tried to make my own flour tortilla shells off and on this past year. Grrr. After trying a few different recipes, watching youtube instructions, I am still frustrated. They take too long, are very hard to roll out right, stick to the rolling pin, counter, cutting board, and I end up with sore arms (have fibromyalgia). I've read about tortilla presses, don't know if it would help and how well they would hold up, even if I could find one.

Would anyone be able to share the details of a recipe, type of rolling pin or press, what surface you use to roll dough out on, type of pan and the heat, and how best to keep them warm. Also how to get them to be flexible enough to make burritos without tearing?

Thank you very much!!

YardFarmer Julie

I'll give you points for trying. I hate the idea of adding all the weird stuff to what should be a simple good food. I tried making them once and gave up. I might try again now. Gotta buy a rolling pin or a press though.

 

[The YardFarmers]

Thanks everyone,

the Vail Bentons- thanks for the link- it has some encouraging suggestions on it

BBH- would you mind telling me the brand of your tortilla press and where you got it? How hard is it topress out the tortillas?

I thought about getting a smaller/different rolling pin. Mine is a big, heavy, marble thing I got as a wedding present. I live close to Lehmans (a kind of SS country store here in in Amish country). I may need to have a day out and check out their cooking supplies for a new one or get a press.

I've tried oil and shortening, but not lard yet.

 

[big brown horse]

My daughter's great aunt (Tia Rosemaria) is a traditional Mexican woman. She stands at the stove and makes fresh tortillas for everyone to eat. When they are all done eating she eats. She showed me how. (She always gave all the kids a ball of dough to work with and try to roll etc.)

She uses a dowel for her rolling pin. I think it is smooth from all of its use. Anyway, it was quite cheap...and you can get it at any hardware store. It is about 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick.


The press was cast aluminum and I got it at a Mexican grocery store down in Houston. I don't know the make, but I do know it was probably under $10, b/c I don't like to spend too much on kitchen gadgets. (I left it in Houston with a friend when I moved up here.) It was a sinch to use and perfect tortillas all the same shape came out everytime. It was just a tad on the heavy side.

 

[The Vail Benton's]

I use a small rolling pin but I find that I don't use the handles at all so I can see how a dowel would serve the purpose very well. I would happily use a tortilla press if I had one, but I do okay the traditional way. Not perfectly uniform in size or shape but delicious none the less even if I do say so myself!

 

[The YardFarmers]

A dowel! Love it. I'll have to go check out the scrap wood in the garage in a bit; we may have one.

It's good to know that an inexpensive press worked. I'm not much into kitchen gadgets, so never can make up my mind whether to buy a better quality and like to use it better, or to go cheaper in case I decide don't want to bother at all.

If I could ask everyone, do you roll the tortillas out on the kitchen counter or on a cutting board?
Do you flour the surface enough that it doesn't stick or do you scrape it up with something?
Do you flip the tortilla over while you are rolling it out or just leave it on one side.

Had burritos last night and used store tortillas- no flavor! I am on a tortilla shell mission!

"My daughter's great aunt (Tia Rosemaria) is a traditional Mexican woman. She stands at the stove and makes fresh tortillas for everyone to eat. When they are all done eating she eats. She showed me how. (She always gave all the kids a ball of dough to work with and try to roll etc.)"

Sounds like making pancakes.

thanks,

YardFarmer Julie