Homemade Flour Tortillas

I get pretty excited when I discover something that I can make from scratch instead of buying premade. However, so often the excitement is short-lived because the time required is too great to justify it. Case(s) in point- homemade noodles, homemade sandwich bread.  Maybe some day. Not right now. 

However, these flour tortillas are super simple and super delicious. So much so that I find it very hard to justify buying a package of them- complete with 12 or 15 ingredients.  The secret is to roll them out as thinly as you possibly can. And I have the best results when I use a large nonstick skillet. 

Homemade Flour Tortillas
from Joy of Cooking

2 cups bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard
3/4 cup hot (115-130 degrees) water- I just let the tap get as hot as it can.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Mix by hand or on low speed until the dough comes together. Knead by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until smooth, 4-6 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them into balls. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Roll out each ball of dough into a 6-8 inch round about 1/8 inch thick. If the dough is resistant, move to the next piece and return later to finish rolling.
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Slide the tortillas into the skillet one by one, cooking until brown spots appear, about 30 seconds on the first side, 15 seconds once flipped. Cover the cooked tortillas to keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve warm.

Picky-Eater Approved