Although we love a corn tortilla, there are times when a flour tortilla (found more usually in the north of Mexico) really hits the spot, particularly when making quesadillas, burritos or you need something to mop up a queso fundido.
A real Mexican flour tortilla is enriched with lard which creates an extra special finish to the tortilla, making them super stretchy, silky tasting and entirely delicious. The trick is to roll them out as thin as possible so that when they hit the pan and start toasting, they look almost like crepes, imperceptibly transparent and so good that the filling is almost just an add-on. Happy eating!
Makes approx. 12
300g plain flour (you can use strong if you have it)
4g baking powder
50g lard or butter, diced
210g yoghurt
5g salt
Sift together the flour and baking powder and then rub in the fat with your fingers until incorporated. Turn into a mixer, or onto a board, add the yoghurt and salt and knead for 5 minutes by hand or with a dough hook on a low to medium speed until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. It will be very slightly sticky.
Rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours, then lightly dust your work surface and divide out the dough into even-sized ping-pong sized balls, about 50g each. Push down into flat pancakes with your fingers, then roll out with a floured rolling pin as thin as you can. At this stage, you can either dry-toast them in a large frying pan or add a little oil. Heat a teaspoon of oil in the pan over a medium-high heat and add the tortillas as you roll them, cooking them for about 60 seconds a side or until the flour has cooked out. They will bubble up and lightly brown in parts which will give wonderful flavour and texture.
Once lightly toasted, they’re ready to be filled, wrapped or folded into a totally mouth-watering bite.
