Best Fresh Corn Tortillas Recipes

FRESH MASA CORN TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Knead the masa, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/3 cup water in a large bowl with your hands until well incorporated and the masa is soft and pliable but doesn't stick to your hands, about 4 minutes. If the masa is still dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon or two more water and continue to mix.
• Cut and remove the zip top from a gallon freezer bag. Cut the two sides of the bag leaving the bottom intact so that the bag can open and close like a book. If using a tortilla press, trim the cut sides of the bag to fit the flat surface of the tortilla press. (If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use a smooth-bottomed 10-inch skillet to press and flatten the tortillas. Use the plastic in the same way you would use with the press except place it between the countertop or work surface and the bottom of the skillet.)
• Divide the dough into 12 balls about 1/4 cup each (or 54g.). Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet and keep covered with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use.
• Heat a medium cast-iron skillet or large griddle over medium-high heat.
• Place the prepared plastic bag inside the press so that the folded side of the bag is on the hinged side of the press. Working with one dough ball at a time, open the press and the top side of the bag and place a ball in the center of the press. Fold the bag over the ball and gently press, holding a steady, firm pressure for a few seconds to flatten the ball to a 7-inch round. Open the press and peel the top bag from the dough. Place the dough on your open palm and peel off the remaining plastic.
• Brush the preheated pan with vegetable oil. Working with one at a time (unless using a large griddle), cook the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, flipping 3 times, until just starting to brown in spots, 90 seconds total. Stack and wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and keep warm. Repeat pressing and cooking the remaining dough balls.
• Serve the tortillas warm.

SLOW ROASTED PORK WITH COCONUT CURRY SAUCE, CORN TORTILLAS, FRESH TOMATO SALSA OVER BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• For the pork: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the spices into the pork and roast for about 8 hours. Let cool. Pull apart and discard any fat. Put the pork pieces in a large pot and add the coconut milk.
• Meanwhile, for the curry sauce: Saute the curry paste, ginger, garlic, and black beans in sesame oil until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add this mixture to the pot with the pork and coconut milk. Add the lime leaves. Braise on low heat for 1 to 2 hours.
• For the rice: Blend the cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and 1 cup of water. Put this mixture in a pot on the stove. Add the basmati rice. Add 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, covered, until the rice absorbs the liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. When done, add the butter and salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the salsa: Roast the jalapeno and poblano peppers, peel, and remove the seeds. Toast the cumin seeds and then grind. Dice the tomatoes and red onion and mix together in a bowl with the other salsa ingredients.
• Heat the corn tortillas on a griddle. Plate the rice, put the pork with sauce on top, and finish with salsa and tortillas.

FRESH CORN TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Whisk masa and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water; knead in bowl until dough forms. The dough should feel firm and springy and look slightly dry (think Play-Doh). Add more water by tablespoonfuls if too crumbly; add a little more masa if too wet.
• Measure 1 heaping tablespoon dough and roll into a ball. Flatten on a tortilla press lined with a plastic bag. If tortilla crumbles, dough is too dry (add more water); if it sticks to the plastic, dough is too wet (add more masa). Repeat, pressing out 2 more tortillas.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat; lightly brush with oil. Cook 2-3 tortillas until charred in spots and edges start to curl, 1-2 minutes. Turn; cook through, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a kitchen towel; fold over to keep warm. Repeat, in batches, with remaining dough.

MINI TORTILLAS WITH CORN MUSHROOMS AND FRESH TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Combine tortilla flour and water in a large bowl and knead with your hands until a uniform dough forms, about 1 minute. Pinch off enough dough to form a scant 3/4-inch ball. (Dough should be moist but not sticky when formed into a ball. If necessary, knead a little more tortilla flour or water into dough.) Form remaining dough into 3/4-inch balls, transferring to a plate, and cover with plastic wrap.
• Very lightly oil comal (or pizza pan), then heat over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.
• Press 1 ball of dough between plastic squares in tortilla press to form a 3-inch tortilla (about 1/16 inch thick). Peel off 1 plastic square, then, holding tortilla in your palm, carefully peel off other square and gently transfer tortilla to comal.
• Cook until edges just loosen from comal and small brown spots appear on underside, 30 to 45 seconds. Turn over and cook, pressing flat with a metal spatula if necessary, until brown spots appear on underside, about 45 seconds. Turn over again and cook, pressing down with spatula, until tortilla inflates slightly (this may not always happen), 10 to 15 seconds. Enclose tortilla in folded cloth to keep warm and moist.
• Make more tortillas, stacking them in cloth. (Once you get a rhythm going, cook more than 1 tortilla at a time.)
• Cook garlic, chile, and 1/2 cup onion (reserve remainder for Garnish) in 2 tablespoons lard in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add huitlacoche and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Warm remaining 2 tablespoons lard (if using) to liquefy. Heat comal (or pizza pan) over medium heat until hot, then heat 8 mini tortillas, brushing tops lightly with some of lard (about 3/4 teaspoon each). While heating tortillas (1 to 2 minutes total), top each with about 1/2 teaspoon salsa, a sprinkling of reserved raw onion, and a rounded teaspoon huitlacoche mixture.
• Transfer chalupas to a platter, then sprinkle with queso fresco and serve immediately.
• Keep comal warm and repeat procedure when ready to serve next batch of chalupas.