Corn Tortillas

1 3/4 cup masa harina
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water

Mix masa harina with water in bowl.  Add more warm water as needed, kneading until dough is soft, smooth, and pliable but not sticky.  Shape 3 tablespoons of dough into a ball for each tortilla and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Place one skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and another over medium-high heat.  Cut two 8-inch rounds from a resealable plastic bag.  Press dough ball between rounds of plastic in a tortilla press; flatten to a 5-inch round about 1/8 inch thick.

Peel off top sheet of plastic.  Transfer tortilla to one hand with part of tortilla dangling off; peel off plastic round.  Hold hand with tortilla over cooler griddle.  Let dangling portion of tortilla catch at the front half of the skillet and slowly sweep hand backward, easing tortilla onto griddle without wrinkling.  Cook tortilla until it looks slightly dry at the edges and starts to release from griddle surface, about 45 seconds.  Lift tortilla with fingers and place, uncooked side down, on the hotter griddle.  Cook until brown spots appear on bottom, about 1 minute.  On same griddle, turn tortilla over again.  Cook until bottom browns and parts of tortilla puff, about 1 minute longer.  Transfer tortilla to cloth-lined basket and cover.  Repeat with remaining dough balls, adding cooked tortillas to basket.  (Tortillas can be made 2 hours ahead.  Wrap in aluminum foil and warm in 300°F oven for 15 minutes.)

Makes 12.


From Epicurious/ Bon Appetit