Today’s recipe is so simple I feel bad even calling it a “recipe”. Today we’re making fresh corn tortillas. If you’ve ever had fresh corn tortillas you know they’re a world of difference from the packaged kinds and the difference is found in the taste, smell, texture…basically everything.
Before I actually learned how tortillas were made I thought the process was extremely labor intensive and tedious. I was totally wrong. Not only does making fresh corn tortillas only take two basic ingredients (unless you decide to use fresh masa or even make your own masa, but today we’re going super simple and basic), but they take absolutely not time at all.
I have a tortilla press, but you definitely don’t need one. I bought one from amazon years ago and while it’s not necessary, it’s not expensive and I’ve actually used it to make my own wonton wrappers and press my homemade rice crackers too, so for m it’s been worth it. Plus, it doesn’t take up very much storage room, which is one of my least favorite things about extra kitchen “gadgets”.
I swear, once you make your own corn tortillas and really see how easy it is, it’ll be hard to go back to the packaged kinds, not impossible, but a little bit of a bummer for sure. Did I mention that a giant bag of masa harina, which makes hundreds and hundreds of tortillas, is only a few bucks?? PLUS, in about a week or so I’ll be showing you how to turn these fresh and tasty tortillas into some bomb-ass hard shells and puffy shells…to then be filled with very “midwest-style” ground beef goodness ingredients! So stay tuned!..But for now, I highly recommend running to the grocery store and grabbing a big bag of masa harina (in the baking aisle) and whipping up some fresh corn tortillas. They’re so easy and SO SO GOOD! Enjoy! xx, Jenny
You might also like:
- Chorizo and Fried Egg Breakfast Tacos
- Spicy Curry Shrimp Tacos
- Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos
- Baja Fish Tacos
- Grilled Zucchini Tacos
Homemade Corn Tortillas
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 ¾ cups warm water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place masa in a large mixing bowl. Pour water over masa and gently stir.
- Allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes.
- Continue to mix masa until no lumps remain and a dough forms.
- Taking 1 ½ -2 tablespoon of dough at a time, form a ball.
- Take a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap and place it onto a clean surface. Place the ball of dough onto the plastic wrap and top with another piece of plastic wrap.
- Taking the back of a heavy bottom skillet, press the skillet evenly and firmly over the covered ball of dough until a flat and round, raw tortilla forms, about ⅛ inch thick. (if you have a tortilla press you can use it in place of the skillet). Repeat until all tortillas have been pressed.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place tortillas onto the hot surface, a few at a time, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Store cooked tortillas covered in a clean towel to keep warm and pliable. Repeat unto all tortilla have been cooked. Serve.
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Love your recipes, but was not successful with making the masa dough, tried everything and they still stick
Hi! I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you , that’s a huge bummer! If the dough was still pretty sticky after it rested i would add another tablespoon or two of masa and knead it into the dough and let it rest again for another 5-7 minutes.
I tried making these, and I could not peel them off of the plastic without them sticking, tearing, etc. I even tried dusting the surfaces with corn meal, but that did not help. Any suggestions?
Yes! Cornmeal in this situation will actually make things a little more difficult. If you’re having a little bit of trouble I recommend two things. You can pop the plastic wrap lined tortillas in the fridge for 30 minutes, which will make them much easier to handle, peel off….OR….you can lightly grease the parts of the plastic wraps that will be touching the tortillas….they should peel right off with either or the above tips!
Instead of plastic wrap you can use wax paper or the paper used to line cookie sheets or jelly roll pans. I usually use the kind Costco sells to cover things in the microwave– precut squares that are a good size for this.
Thanks for the rec!
I tried hand made corn tortilla once. I even bought a press. The press did not impress me. And the recipe called for frying the tortillas in a little corn oil. Which ruined my pan. I gave up and gave that press away. I see here that you used a dry pan. I just may try his again. They WERE delicious.
How long will they stay fresh? If longer than immediate use, what is your recommendation for best storage?
I like to wrap my extra (cooked)tortillas in plastic wrap or just stick them in a small, resealable plastic bag, with all the air pushed out and then refrigerate them. They should be good for about 5 days. You can heat them up on the stovetop for a couple minutes on each side to refresh them. :)
So easy! and they look so yummy, I must try making these
http://xoxobella.com
It’s been on our to do list for a while now to make our own tortilla’s, I can totally imagine how much better they are! Can’t wait to try!
I started making my own about a year ago and they are far better than anything you can buy. I’ve been keeping a press in my Amazon cart for quite a while too but have been using a rolling pin. They aren’t always symmetrical but they taste great.
Lol, I had a press in my Amazon cart for the longest time and finally pulled the trigger. I’m glad I did, but a rolling pin totally works just fine. Let me know if you end up buying one and if you think it’s worth it or not! Curious to see what others think!
I found one at Mexgrocer.com for 18.99 and after I registered I got an email the next day with a free shipping code. It would have cost a lot to ship since its cast iron.
It doesn’t sound or look that difficult. I can only image that the taste these add to some tacos is rustic and authentic (versus the dry store bought ones). I can’t wait to give this a try.