The Homemade Pantry's Corn Tortillas

Updated April 04, 2019

Moving from sunny New Mexico to New England, Alana Chernila, author of The Homemade Pantry learned very quickly that a good tortilla was hard to find. Embracing her inner DIY spirit she invested in a tortilla press and started pressing her own Corn Tortillas for a taste of the Southwest.

The recipe is simple enough, just masa harina and water mixed, pressed and toasted up in a cast iron pan. Once you make tortillas yourself you might not go back to the bagged version again.

What Worked: Fresh out of the skillet tortillas beat out storebought any day of week.

What Didn't: A tortilla press is kind of a must in this recipe, rolling these guys out by hand is pretty tricky.

Suggested Tweaks: Slice up your leftovers and fry 'em up for chips.

Recipe Details

The Homemade Pantry's Corn Tortillas

Active 15 mins

Total 15 mins

Serves 12 tortillas

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina (lime-treated cornmeal, available at Latin grocers and many supermarkets)

Directions

Combine the masa harina and 1 1⁄4 cups water in the stand mixer bowl or mixing bowl. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and mix for 1 minute, or until the dough comes together in a ball. If mixing my hand, mix and knead the dough with your hands in a bowl until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into 12 balls, each about 3 inches in diameter. Lay a clean, damp dish towel over the balls of dough while you press the tortillas.
Start the cast-iron skillet or griddle, ungreased, over medium heat on the stove.
Line each side of the tortilla press with half a large freezer bag separated along the seam. Place a ball of dough in the center of the press and close it with all your weight. Open the press and peel the tortilla off the plastic. Transfer the tortilla to the heated griddle and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, or until little spots appear on the surface. Use the spatula to remove the tortilla from the pan. Repeat with the other balls of dough. Serve immediately, or store, covered, in a warm oven or under a warm, damp cloth until ready to serve.

Special equipment

a tortilla press

Bread

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
69	Calories
1g	Fat
15g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	69
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 15g	5%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 26mg	2%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 50mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.