Friday, November 23, 2012

From Tobago to Tortillas

I still have some Tobago pictures to post, but first we will visit TORTILLAS...


When I was last in Mexico, I bought a very heavy tortilla press. It almost put me over my baggage allowance but it was worth it. But for some silly reason, I kept putting off the tortilla-making, even though I found a bag of masa harina at the Latin supermarket in Ottawa. (I'm pretty sure I can get it at the giant boring grocery store in nearby Cornwall, too!)

The instructions were pretty simple. I recently bought The Homesick Texan Cookbook, and took the instructions from there. I've always enjoyed the recipes on her blog, and the book does not disappoint.

You mix the masa harina into a dough, then make 12 balls...


I suspect that nobody's Mexican grandmama will be impressed with my handiwork!!



And here's my rather heavy tortilla press.



You don't have use parchment paper to line the press, but I did because it made everything easier. Put a ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper...


...close the lid....


..and press with all your might!


Then the tortilla goes in dry-heated cast-iron pan.


30 seconds on one side.


 A minute on the other side.

Then another 30 seconds on the first side!

Result?


Corn tortillas that tasted a whole lot better than anything I've bought at the store! I served them with chicken in Oaxacan mole negro sauce. Yum!

Tobago to resume shortly...



21 comments:

  1. Now I'm hungry for tortillas....It looks so good!

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  2. And I'm hungry for mole. Home-made or store-bought? [Sorry, you're near Ottawa; I should have said "store-boughten".]

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  3. That doesn't look so hard..
    Cooking has to be easy with me or it doesn't happen.

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    Replies
    1. It was incredibly easy. I don't know why I put it off so long!

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  4. Interesting and well explained but I will be watching for the next step. I'm not at all familiar with Mexican food.

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    1. The next step is to eat them! YOu can put them things in them (think soft tacos) or you can use them to mop off the sauce from whatever yummy Mexican meal you're eating!

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  5. Oh, you are making my mouth water!

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  6. Homemade tortillas are the best! When we lived in California, I'd get them locally, but now I make my own so I can have fresh. That press what a good thing to bring home:-D

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  7. Anonymous8:06 pm

    That looks simple enough for even me to do. I'm tempted to find me one of those presses, but then I live in the heart of fantastic homemade tortillas -- South Texas. Maybe if I move. I applaud your effort, bet they were delicious!

    janet

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    Replies
    1. It was really really easy, but if I lived where you do , I'm not sure I'd bother either!! I have a hard time finding corn tortillas around here!

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  8. Why do you keep causing me to covet things? Isn't that against some law or something?

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    Replies
    1. If you're coveting the tortilla press, I know you could get one where you are!!

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  9. Aye Carumba, they look muy delicioso!
    Jane x

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  10. That press sure makes things easier. It would be perfect for my Grandma's recipe to make some cookies! I wish I had one of those!

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    Replies
    1. If you have a Latin market near you, I bet you could find one for cheap! It was fun to use. :)

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  11. With chicken?

    Shhhhh. They're just outside, looking and listening.

    They think that you are Big lady Nice

    If only they knew...

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!