Josef Centeno’s Tía Carmen’s Flour Tortillas
In the headnote to the recipe in Amá: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen, from which our recipe is adapted, Josef Centeno writes that his tía Carmen taught generations of his family to make tortillas. (Today Centeno is the chef-owner of highly acclaimed Los Angeles restaurants Orsa & Winston, Bar Amá and Amacita; he wrote Amá with his partner Betty Hallock. We reviewed the book in September 2020.
The original recipe as published in Amá calls for a stand mixer. We made ours easily by mixing the dough by hand instead.
Makes six 8-inch (20 centimeter) tortillas.
Ingredients
1 cup (135 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon lard, shortening or rendered bacon fat
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
Instructions
1. Put the flour, lard (or shortening or bacon fat), baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix with a fork or whisk until just incorporated.
2. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam (make sure it doesn’t boil). Little by little, pour the warm milk into the flour mixture and whisk until the milk is completely absorbed by the dry ingredients and the dough forms a rough ball and separates from the bowl. Shape the dough into a smoother ball (it will be soft and slightly lumpy on the surface).
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled medium bowl, cover and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Heat a skillet or griddle on medium-low heat. Uncover the dough and divide into six 1 1/2-ounce (40 g) balls. Generously flour a smooth work surface and roll out each ball into an 8-inch (20 cm) circle.
5. Use a paper towel to lightly oil the hot pan, and gently place a tortilla on it. Cook until bubbles form on the entire surface of the tortilla, about 1 minute, and flip. The tortilla will start to leaven once flipped. When the leavening stops and the tortilla is golden brown on the bottom, about 1 minute, remove from the heat and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately.
Josef Centeno’s Tía Carmen’s Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 1 cup (135 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon lard, shortening or rendered bacon fat
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
Instructions
- Put the flour, lard (or shortening or bacon fat), baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix with a fork or whisk until just incorporated.
- Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam (make sure it doesn’t boil). Little by little, pour the warm milk into the flour mixture and whisk until the milk is completely absorbed by the dry ingredients and the dough forms a rough ball and separates from the bowl. Shape the dough into a smoother ball (it will be soft and slightly lumpy on the surface).
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled medium bowl, cover and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Heat a skillet or griddle on medium-low heat. Uncover the dough and divide into six 1 1/2-ounce (40 g) balls. Generously flour a smooth work surface and roll out each ball into an 8-inch (20 cm) circle.
- Use a paper towel to lightly oil the hot pan, and gently place a tortilla on it. Cook until bubbles form on the entire surface of the tortilla, about 1 minute, and flip. The tortilla will start to leaven once flipped. When the leavening stops and the tortilla is golden brown on the bottom, about 1 minute, remove from the heat and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Recipe notes
• We tested the recipe using lard.