Tortillas

the foundation
20 min
12 tortillas
Medium

Ok, here it is, tortillas

The base. The foundation. The thing that makes everything else possible.

Follow the instructions closely. Trust the process. And if you don’t get a puff the first few times, do not panic. A perfect tortilla is repetition. It’s feel. It’s memory in your hands. The puff will come.

And just as important as the cooking itself is what happens after they come off the comal.

As each tortilla finishes cooking, move it straight into your tortilla warmer and keep it covered. That residual heat and steam inside the warmer is what transforms them. Even if they feel slightly stiff coming off the comal, the rest is what makes them pliable, soft, and foldable. Do not skip that step.

A little note, you can use either of our masaharina to make tortillas, but I do find the red masaharina is easier for beginners. It also has a little bit of a nutty flavor.
Now let’s make tortillas.

Preparation

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Matriarca Masa Harina
  • 1 ¼ cups very hot water (about 125°F, not boiling)

Instructions

  1. Place the masa harina in a bowl.
  2. Slowly pour in the hot water.
  3. Mix with your hands until completely homogenous. The dough should feel soft, hydrated, and smooth. Not sticky, not crumbly. If it cracks at the edges, add a teaspoon of water at a time.
  4. Keep the dough covered and work one portion at a time so it stays warm and hydrated.
  5. Heat your comal to about 550°F. It should be properly hot before your tortilla touches it.
  6. Press your tortilla. Place it on the hot comal. Flip two to three times depending on texture and doneness. You’re looking for light browning and ideally that beautiful puff.
  7. Transfer immediately to a tortilla warmer and keep covered while you continue cooking the rest. Let them rest together for several minutes before serving.

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