There is nothing like eating homemade tortillas. This method works for me every time.
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Cut off the top of the ziplock just below the locking strip. Open the bag by cutting down both side seams. Open the bag and place one side of the bag on the press.
Place one of the balls of dough on the press and fold the other side of the ziplock over the ball of dough. With your hand, flatten a little bit.
Carefully roll up the top side of the plastic bag. Flip the tortilla over and carefully remove the other side of the bag by rolling from the open end. Flip over onto the palm of your hand.
Flip the tortilla onto the hotter part of the griddle. Let cook for about 30 seconds, then flip. Cook for 1 -2 minutes then flip again. The tortilla should start to puff up. If it doesn't, tap the center gently with the spatula. Once puffed (it doesn't have to puff much) and the edges starting to turn up or brown a bit, flip onto cooler side of the griddle for another 60 seconds.
Continue adding other tortillas to the griddle. You'll get your timing down to where you can be cooking 3 or more at a time.
Two Burner Griddle - Great for tortillas, pancakes, quesadilla, French toast and many, many more.
Masa Harina - There are several brands of Masa Harina, and different brands yield a little difference in texture and color. For tortillas for soft tacos, I use a white corn masa flour like Torti Masa. It is a finer masa than most other brands, yielding a softer, tender, and more moist tortilla. For enchiladas or tostadas, I use brands like Bob’s Red Mill, Meseca or Quakers. These brands yield a little thicker, firmer tortilla that holds up better in enchiladas.
Salt – Many corn tortillas recipes omit the salt all together. I’ve tried that and didn’t enjoy the flavor as much. Salt can reduce the amount of “puffing” during the cooking process, but even that can be affected by the brand of masa harina.
Kneading the dough (masa) - For those who don't like to use their hands to mix, use a spatula to initially combine the wet and dry ingredients. However, at some point you're going to have to jump in there and use your hands. That's the only way you'll be able to really get a feel for the dough. Always go for smooth, not sticky or wet. If it's too wet, just sprinkle in some more masa. Too dry, add a little bit more water (about 1 Tbsp at a time).
Browning the tortillas - Cooking the tortillas until the edges start to brown on the tortilla start to have browned spots, is a personal preference IMO. For enchiladas I do cook the tortillas longer until they start to brown. However, for soft tacos I remove the tortillas from the griddle before they start to brown. The softer tortilla yields a better taco IMO.
To make a double batch, increase the masa to 2 cups, the liquid to 1 ½ cups (starting with 1 cup and add as you need it), baking powder to 1 tsp., and the salt to ½ teaspoon.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen