Flour Tortillas

Why this recipe works Supple and flavorful, homemade flour tortillas far surpass store-bought versions, and the dough requires just a few ingredients (flour, salt, fat, and water) that are in most pantries. Traditionally, you’d need a tortilla press, but we wanted to develop a dough that didn’t require any special equipment—just a rolling pin and a skillet. We learned that too little fat produced brittle results that made rolling with a pin impossible; a generous 6 tablespoons of fat was just right. While tortillas are often made with lard, we preferred vegetable shortening as it’s already a pantry staple for many cooks. As we continued our testing, we found that too little salt yielded tasteless tortillas, so we upped the amount; baking powder, which is used in some recipes, made tortillas that were doughy and thick, so we omitted it. All-purpose flour performed better than bread flour or cake flour, which produced tortillas that were tough and crumbly, respectively. Most important, though, how we combined the ingredients turned out to be the secret to truly great flour tortillas. Adding warm water to the dough melted the shortening, which then coated the flour and prevented it from absorbing excess moisture. This resulted in less gluten development and yielded more tender tortillas. The tortillas cooked quickly—just 1 minute per side in a preheated skillet. To make ten 10-inch tortillas, double the recipe, divide the dough evenly into 10 pieces, and roll each into a 10-inch round; cook as directed. Cooled tortillas can be layered between sheets of parchment paper, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the tortillas on a plate, invert a second plate on top, and microwave until warm and soft, 60 to 90 seconds.

MAKES: twelve 8-inch tortillas

RESTING TIME: 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: 24 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1½ hours

KEY EQUIPMENT: rolling pin, 12-inch nonstick skillet

INGREDIENTS:

• 2¾ cups (13¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons (2½ ounces) vegetable shortening, cut into 6 pieces
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 ounces) warm tap water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Using your hands, rub shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
2. Stir warm water into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and knead by hand until it forms a smooth and cohesive ball, about 30 seconds.
3. Divide the dough into quarters and cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces, approximately 2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a ball and transfer them to a plate. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough balls for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
4. Working with one piece of dough at a time while keeping the remaining pieces covered, roll the dough into an 8-inch round tortilla between two 12-inch squares of greased parchment paper.
5. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Meanwhile, remove the top parchment paper from one tortilla and gently reshape the edges. Using paper towels, carefully wipe out the skillet, leaving a thin film of oil on the bottom. Flip the tortilla onto your palm and remove the second piece of parchment paper, then place the tortilla in the skillet.
6. Cook the tortilla until the surface begins to bubble, approximately 1 minute. Flip the tortilla and cook until it puffs up and the bottom is spotty brown, about 1 minute. Transfer the cooked tortilla to a plate and cover it with a dish towel. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas. Serve the tortillas.