Text 24916, 91 rader
Skriven 2008-12-11 18:39:29 av Roy Witt (1:397/22)
  Kommentar till text 24900 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Holiday Foods
=====================
11 Dec 08 13:29, Robert Bashe wrote to Roy Witt:

 RB> Roy Witt wrote to Robert Bashe on Wednesday December 10 2008 at
 RB> 12:16:

 RW>> Mexicans make both types of taco shells, flour and corn, also hard
 RW>> or soft. As for tortilla flour, you can use general purpose flour.
 RW>> Frankly, I prefer flour tortillas to corn.

 RB> News to me, but I haven't been in Mexico for many years. All I'm
 RB> familiar with are the lime-treated corn variety - the ones the women
 RB> in the markets slap on their thighs to get them thin <g>. I don't
 RB> really care for the overgrown Fritos, but they're the best you can
 RB> get here. As for the wheat flour tortillas, I find them tasteless and
 RB> a bit gummy, but that's just my taste.

 RB> Still, thanks for the tips - they round out my knowledge of the
 RB> subject and I may try them out sometime.

I can provide you with a corn tortilla recipe too.

Corn Tortillas

In most every recipe for corn tortillas, the proportion of ingredients
called for is 2 cups of Masa Harina to 1/4 to 1/3 cups of water. However,
the difference between 1-1/4 cup and 1-1/3 cup, while only 4 teaspoons,
can be critical.

The process is this:

   1. Mix the Masa Harina and the water; knead to form your masa (dough)
   2. Pinch off a golf-ball sized piece of masa and roll it into a ball
   3. Set the masa on a piece of plastic in the tortilla press; cover with
      another piece of plastic
   4. Press the masa
   5. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet
   6. Cook for about 30 seconds on one side; gently turn
   7. Cook for about 60 seconds (it should puff slightly); turn back to
      the first side
   8. Cook for another 30 seconds on the first side
   9. Remove and keep the tortilla warm

Sounds simple enough, but there are several crucial considerations along
the way and, until you have made a batch or two and get the hang of it, a
few tortilla-making tips will ease the way.

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

* The masa will dry out quickly. Keep it covered with a piece of plastic
wrap while making your tortillas.

* Cut up sandwich or (my favorite) freezer bags work better than the
flimsier plastic wrap or waxed paper.

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

* Gently place the tortilla on the hot skillet or griddle. It should make
a soft sizzling sound when you do. If your tortillas are not perfect
circles, don't worry; they will still taste wonderful.

* If your skillet or griddle is at the right temperature, a tortilla can
be cooked in no more than 2 minutes.

* The use of cast-iron utensils is important. You are cooking at high heat
on a dry surface, and a lighter-weight utensil could warp.

* Brown spots on your tortillas are good -- an indication that they are
handmade, rather than punched out of a big machine and cooked
assembly-line fashion.

The number of tortillas you make with this basic recipe depends upon their
size and thickness. I usually get about 12 to 14 tortillas approximately 6
inches in size, depending upon the number I am compelled to eat while I'm
cooking (I usually keep the butter and salsa handy during the process).

Not my recipe, but it'll work for you.

                R\%/itt



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