Fresh Homemade Flour Tortillas Recipe Video

GETTING READY
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
2. With a pastry cutter or potato masher cut in the shortening. You want these ingredients to resemble fine meal and cling together when squeezed with your hand.
3. Add the water all at once and mix the dough quickly with a potato masher or by hand until the dough forms a mass. If it is too dry, add more water, if it is too sticky, add some more flour.
4. Knead the dough by folding it in half, pushing it down, and folding again and doing this until it is no longer sticky.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 – 20 minutes. This allows any extra liquid to absorb into the flour and for the gluten to relax, which will lead to softer tortillas after cooking.

MAKING
6. Take your ball of dough and begin pinching off about one-inch sized chunks of dough. Form them into tight balls by folding them over with your fingers, turning and repeating until it looks like a golf ball. Place it to the side and continue doing this until you have used all of the dough.
7. On a floured surface take one of the dough balls and begin to roll it out with a floured rolling pin. To keep the tortilla circular, roll the dough in one direction, make a 1/4 turn and roll again, make another 1/4 turn and roll. Continue to roll and turn until you the dough is about 1/8-inch thick and 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
8. Preheat a skillet on high heat.
9. Place the raw tortillas on the skillet. Cook the tortilla until it begins to bubble and puff up with air pockets, about 30-45 seconds. Flip the tortilla and cook the other side for about 30 more seconds.

SERVING
10. If using right away, keep warm and moist in a damp dishtowel.
11. If using the next day, store in a plastic bag and reheat before using.
12. If wanting to use later in the week or month, place a piece of parchment paper in between each raw tortilla and freeze in a plastic bag until ready to use. When ready to use, simple pull one or more out and cook as directed in step 9.