So I have been trying to make my own tortillas. I’ll found a recipe online that was flour, water, oil, and salt that seemed decent but wasn’t very good. I essentially made tortilla shaped crackers. I’m high altitude, but with nothing rising I’m not sure that matters? Anyone have a good recipe they can share? I’m kinda going for authentic styles that you would get at a taco shop.

Thanks!

      • TardisBeaker@lemmy.world
        103·
        9 months ago

        It’s an authentic delicious tortilla recipe. Nobody asked for a crappy lite tortilla recipe. Not cool to yuck someone else’s yum man.

      • Altima NEOEnglish
        82·
        9 months ago

        Fat is fat.

        Also if you’ve ever had flour tortillas, they were probably made with shortening.

  • Altima NEOEnglish
    151·
    9 months ago

    Yeah I’ve never seen tortillas made with oil. That’s too much liquid. You need shortening or lard.

    Alternately, try making corn tortillas. Much easier and tastier.

  • TardisBeaker@lemmy.world
    6·
    9 months ago

    Need a better fat for this application. Also you didn’t specify hot water, which is essential according to every abuelita I’ve talked to about it.

    • FlavorPacket@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      9 months ago

      I think I just used cold water, so that might be an issue. I also didn’t cover the dough while it rested so I’m sure it dried out a bit. Thanks for the tip.

  • pooberbee (any)@lemmy.ml
    5·
    9 months ago

    Sounds like they might be drying out, maybe while they’re waiting to be cooked. You can keep them under a moist towel while waiting if that’s the issue. They might also be cooking too long. I don’t have a great sense of what doneness looks like for tortillas, but I imagine knowledge mostly comes from experience.

    Post pictures when you get a good batch!

    • FlavorPacket@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      9 months ago

      I think both of these might be problems. I definitely didn’t cover the dough and the ones I cooked at a higher heat for a shorter time did come out slightly better.

      Thanks for the tip. I’ll be sure to post again if I get anything worthy. 😁

  • DangerBit@lemmy.world
    52·
    9 months ago

    Water, oil, salt, flour is basically the recipe for crackers.

    You need to add leavening and use lard or vegetable shortening.

    • howrar@lemmy.ca
      2·
      9 months ago

      It’s also the recipe for some types of bread. The difference is in the ratios and how you apply heat.

  • jflorez@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    9 months ago

    I use hominy corn. Put the dry corn in water for 24 hours then cook in water and add salt. Once soft put through a food mincer. With the minced corn make balls of about 30 grams and flatten until you have a tortilla

    Edit: forgot to mention that once you have all the balls in a tortilla shape you need to cook them in a nonstick pan

  • LittleTarsier@lemmy.ca
    2·
    9 months ago

    Can you share the recipe you are using?

    I make tortillas almost every week and use flour, salt, baking powder, vegetable oil and warm water. The thing with tortillas though is that you have to go by feel. I hand knead the dough and have to know when to add more oil, water, or flour based on the consistency of the dough. It’s something you learn with trial and error.

    There’s also an old wives tale that says your tortillas will never turn out properly if you are in a bad mood when you make them!

  • Dethedrus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    9 months ago

    This is my goto recipe. I use the butter variant and they’re fluffy, chewy and perfect every single time. I used to use a press, but didn’t care for how small the tortillas ended up so I mostly smash the dough balls with a large pan or something similarly silly.

  • bjorney@lemmy.ca
    21·
    9 months ago

    At least for corn tortillas, placing them in a tortilla keeper (steaming basket) after you cook them makes a world of difference when it comes to having pliable tortillas - you can just use a pot/saucepan with a lid.

    Baking powder in flour tortillas is common, helps them come out more like a light fluffy tortilla and less like a flat flour brick

  • blargerer@kbin.social
    33·
    9 months ago

    You don’t need shortening or lard ( though lard is certainly more traditional), oil should be fine. You do probably want some baking powder in there, but if you are ending up with a cracker its likely the method and not ingredients that are the problem.