Sonoran Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas

2 cups High-gluten Bread Flour
3/4 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon vegetable shortening or vegetable oil
3/4 cups warm water
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Stir together flour and salt. Mix in vegetable shortening by rubbing it into the flour mixture with your finger tips. add water, stirring it with a wooden spoon or your hands until a sticky ball forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead vigorously for a minute or two to develop the gluten in the dough. The dough will be soft but no longer sticky when you are done.

Let the dough rest, covered with a damp cloth, for about 15 minutes to let the gluten relax a bit.

Divide the dough into 6 or 8 balls depending on how big of a tortilla you are attempting to make (there is enough dough to make six 12 inch or eight 10 inch tortillas in diameter).

Let divided dough rest another 30 minutes, covered with a damp cloth.

Roll out each ball of dough as thin as possible. You can roll them out between sheets of waxed paper if it is easier for you. Let rest again under a damp cloth for about 15 minutes. Roll out again to make even thinner.

Heat a heavy dry skillet over high heat. Carefully cook the first tortilla for about 10 seconds on each side, flipping back and forth for another 10 seconds per side, until the tortilla looks slightly dry with a few brown spots on each side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.