Mmmm Monday -- Tortillas

Last week we had a family gathering for Memorial Day and my brother-in-law made roast vegetables: zucchini, onions, peppers, mushrooms that were really good but had a lot left-over. I took some to use in fajitas adding chicken with seasonings. I did not have enough tortillas on-hand however and while I have made them before wasn't sure I wanted to attempt that again but didn't want John to have to stop at the store on his way home.

Last time I made tortillas I didn't think they tasted that good or were worth the time it took to roll out the dough. But, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. (I can hear the little girl in the black and white version of Miracle on 34th Street saying that). So, I made tortillas again with a few additions to give more flavor and let the dough rest for an hour first which I read was helpful and this time they turned out great. I can definitely see why people make them rather than buy them. It also is much faster when you have a helper to cook and flip the tortillas while you roll the dough. This is a big recipe but they were all gobbled up. Yum!

5 cups flour (I did half whole-wheat)
1/2 cup shortening (I used coconut oil)
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup boiling water



(I added a little tomato sauce, chili pepper, garlic powder and cilantro for flavor)

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour and salt. Mix in the shortening until the mixture is the texture of oatmeal. (I use my kitchen aid which works great) Make a well in the center, and pour in the boiling water. Mix with a fork until all of the water is evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with a bit of additional flour, and knead until the dough does not stick to your fingers. The dough should be smooth.


2. Make balls the size of golf balls. Place them on a tray, and cover with a cloth. Let stand for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours. (I like that as I could make the dough the night before)
   


3. Heat a griddle or large frying pan over high heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a tortilla to your preferred thinness. Fry one at a time. Place on the griddle for 10 seconds, as soon as you see a bubble on the top, flip the tortilla over. Let it cook for about 30 seconds, then flip and cook the other side for another 30 seconds. Roll out the next tortilla while you wait for that one to cook. Repeat until all of the balls have been cooked. Tortillas can be refrigerated or frozen.

My leftovers (for a brief moment) they were gobbled up not long after

Pete wanted to try his hand at flipping and he did a great job and it speeded up the process.