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Corn Tortillas
Tortillas de Maíz
4 C Masa Harina*
1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 C hot water
Place Masa Harina and salt into a bowl. Add water and mix with hands to form a dough that comes together in a soft ball. Continue mixing and kneading until dough is elastic enough to hold together without cracking. Divide dough into eighteen equal portions and cover with plastic wrap, or a damp towel. If making ahead to use later, wrap the whole ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day, and then divide.
To form tortillas, place a portion of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap. Press with tortilla press, or roll out with a rolling pin into a circle 6 or 7-inches in diameter. Use your fingers to smooth rough edges. Repeat process with remaining dough.
To cook the tortillas, heat a heavy skillet, griddle or "comal" over high heat until it begins to smoke. Peel the plastic wrap off a tortilla and place it in the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for thirty seconds. Flip tortilla and cook on the other side for one minute. Turn again, and cook until the tortilla puffs slightly, but is pliable and not crisp (about thirty seconds more). Remove from skillet and continue until all the tortillas are cooked.
*Note: Masa Harina corn flour can be purchased at most stores. Quaker and Maseca brands are the best.
*About the Comal: A comal is a griddle or grill typically used for cooking foods based on a tortilla, including quesadillas, a folded tortilla filled with cheese and/or meat heated on the comal. The comal is generally a black-tempered heavy cast iron flat round griddle pan with a handle with a hole in it for hanging, and approximately 11-1/2 inches in diameter. In many Hispanic cultures, the comal is handed down from grandmother to mother to daughter, the idea being that a comal tempered over many years of usage will heat faster, and cook cleaner. A flattop grill is also related to comal, and can be used in a similar fashion for cooking Hispanic foods as well as many other grilled foods. [Data Source: Wikipedia].
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