tortillas

[turnipmonster]

I could always get good tortillas in my old neighborhood near the projects (primarily latino). my new neighborhood has all the middle eastern stuff hooked up, but no good tortillas. I really hate the generic mission tortillas that come in the plastic bags in the grocery store, they taste like cardboard. anyways, this weekend I made my own tortillas.

it didn't go well. my tortillas were way too thick and tasted more like pie crusts, because I think I used too much crisco to try and get the damn dough to stick together. anyways, anyone ever make tortillas? while my tortillas were not good, at least they didn't suck as bad as the ones in the grocery store.

--turnipmonster

[eric5148]

I can't help you out with making tortillas, but I know you shouldn't eat Crisco.

[Popinjay]

Find some hot latina chick to help you out.

[moondogg]

[ QUOTE ]
I can't help you out with making tortillas, but I know you shouldn't eat Crisco.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah, that's like saying you shouldn't eat scrapple.

[MortalNuts]

I like the suggestion of getting a hot latina chick to help you out. But should that fail:

I also use crisco or lard in making tortillas. I don't really have any great advice or anything, though. I sort of go by a recipe in rick bayless's book "mexican kitchen," even though I'm sure there are better recipes out there. I use the standard masa harina stuff you can get in grocery stores, not fresh masa or something. I don't remember offhand what proportions he advises, but I can look it up later if you want -- basically if you put masa harina in a bowl with a little water and some lard, you're on the right track.

Pressing the tortillas flat enough that they're tortilla-like but thick enough that they don't fall apart can be a bit of a pain. I use a tortilla press, and it took me a couple of tries to get it right.

fwiw, I sometimes decide store-bought tortillas are good enough for me if I heat them up on a griddle with a little water. definitely a step down from homemade, but can be okay.

-mn

[sfer]

Do you have a car Paul? There's a Mexican neighborhood directly southwest of Park Slope. Just drive down 7th Ave past the graveyard and you're there.