Text 16784, 91 rader
Skriven 2007-06-15 22:09:00 av JOAN MACDIARMID (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: TORTILLAS   70612
=========================
 Hi, Glen,

 GJ> A query on this recipe of yours..

 DD> Title: Corn Tortillas (Texas Cooking)
 DD> Categories: Five, Breads, Latino, Classics
 DD> Yield: 12 servings
 DD>
 DD> 2 c  Masa Harina

 GJ> Isn't this the same as corn meal?

 Not in the USA, at least. Corn meal is more
 coarsely ground and milled.

 DD> You'll need a big cast-iron skillet or griddle and a tortilla press,
 DD> too. Tortilla presses have become pretty easy to find in
 DD> kitchen-supply stores. Not exactly a high-tech gadget, if you pay

 GJ> Got that, bought in Monterrey a few years ago.  It came with a flat
 GJ> steel dish for cooking, with the rim at a slight angle, so the cooked
 GJ> tortillas can be easily slid off, onto a plate.

 DD> 1. Mix the Masa Harina and the water; knead to form your masa
 DD> (dough) 2. Pinch off a golf-ball sized piece of masa and roll it into

 At least the size of a golf ball is standard
 enough, where golf is played.

 DD> a ball 3. Set the masa on a piece of plastic in the tortilla press;
 DD> cover with another piece of plastic

 GJ> I have found that rolling the balls in a little oil helps to prevent
 GJ> them sticking to the grease-proof paper I use instead of plastic.

 DD> * When mixing the masa, mix all the Masa Harina with 1-1/4 cup of
 DD> the water. You can work it with your hands, if you like. If it seems
 DD> too dry, add more water, a teaspoon at a time. Too much water, and
 DD> you won't be able to peel the plastic off the tortilla; too little
 DD> and your tortilla will be dry and crumbly. Unlike pastry dough, masa
 DD> does not suffer from being over-handled.

 GJ> The addition of a little wheat flour helps to prevent crumbling.

 DD> * The masa will dry out quickly. Keep it covered with a piece of
 DD> plastic wrap while making your tortillas.
 DD>
 DD> * Cut-to-size sandwich or (my favorite) freezer bags work better
 DD> than the flimsier plastic wrap or waxed paper.

 GJ> Good suggestion.

 DD> * Hold the pressed tortilla (with the plastic on both sides) in one
 DD> hand. Peel away the top plastic from the tortilla (not the tortilla
 DD> from the plastic). Flip it over into your other hand, and peel away
 DD> the other piece of plastic.

 GJ> This is where the pre-oiling helps.

 DD> * If your skillet or griddle is at the right temperature, a tortilla
 DD> should take no more than 2 minutes to cook.

 GJ> An electric frypan, doctored to boost its maximum temperature to about
 GJ> 500F works well.

 DD> Note: Do not confuse corn flour with corn meal. Corn meal is made
 DD> from a completely different process, and it simply will not work for
 DD> tortilla making.

 GJ> I find that statement confusing.  I have always thought corn meal and
 GJ> masa harina were the same, made from maize, and the fine, white corn
 GJ> flour was made from wheat.

 huh? What you call cornflour, we call cornstarch,
 I think. It's a way more refined product used
 for thickening gravies. Americans do use corn meal
 for some purposes, but as I mentioned above, this is
 rather less finely milled and appreciated for its
 slightly gritty texture in cornbread or polentas. I
 think masa harina is whole-grain corn ground to
 the texture of flour. The Mexicans use it routinely,
 but USan's not so often, so it's harder to find here.

 Maybe you could make masa harina from corn meal
 by milling it in a food processor or blender to
 a flourlike state?

 Joan MacDiarmid
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