Flour-corn tortillas

This is a non-traditional tortilla that blends wheat flour and corn masa for an interesting combination of flavor and texture.   A friend of mine mentioned the idea to me some time ago and recently I picked up a package of “Mitad y Mitad” (half and half) tortillas at the specialty supermarket to give them a try.  They were ok, not bad at all I felt,  but the ratio of flour to corn masa left them thin and little dense for my taste.  I would prefer them to be more like a flour tortilla with some of the corn taste,  one with  a little fluff to it,  one that stays nice and pliable,  a balanced blend of both worlds.  These past several days have found me trying out different ratios of flour and masa harina (and running out of room in my refrigerator storing the trial runs!).  The birds around my neighborhood will find an easy meal the next several days.  I concluded that there is not a single magic formula because it depends what you desire from it.   My favorite ratio is 1 2/3 cup wheat flour to 2/3 cup masa harina.  I became fond of substituting 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour for 1/3 cup of the all-purpose flour.     White whole wheat flour is not as  bitter or strong tasting as the usual whole wheat variety.  It let the corn flavor of the masa harina come through just fine.   (You can substitute the white whole flour with all purpose flour though you may need a slight adjustment on the amount of water you use.)  This tortilla blends nicely with all kinds of Tex-Mex, Mexican or Southwestern flavors.  You might also try adding ground dried chile for a variation.   2 teaspoons per 2 cups of dry ingredients is a good starting place depending on the potency of the chile.  If you give these a go, or come up with a different version, I would be very interested to hear about it!

Making excellent tortillas requires a certain touch that either comes naturally to one,  is learned as it is passed down from generation to generation,  or is picked up through trial and error. I’m still working on it. My grandmother had that magic touch and made it look easy.  She never measured out the ingredients and yet her tortillas  were consistent with the flavor and feel that I loved.  I wonder what she would have thought about all these new-fangled versions of tortillas.  The east Austin,  Mexican neighborhood where she made her home and kept the extended family together was a totally different time and place than what it is today.  Even whole wheat tortillas would have been way out there for her…  Tortilla recipes  are  rough guides.  Flours vary  in protein or softness from one brand to the next, or especially from one country to another.  You have to keep at it until you develop a sense of how much liquid is just enough.  Too much and the tortilla will have some gummy patches to it. Too dry and they will become brittle and crack when rolled or folded. To make it a little more complicated,  tortilla dough made with masa harina wants to dry out quicker.  Keep the dough covered.  Don’t get discouraged if you are new to tortilla making and they don’t come out quite as you hoped.  It’ll take time to really acquire the knack. It reminds me of the book “Zen and the Art of Archery” by  Eugen Herrigel .  The student archer’s goal/non goal is to become one with the target and lose awareness of the meticulous act of shooting the arrow. At least, that’s how I rationally understand it.

 

For about 10 tortillas

1  cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white whole wheat flour

2/3 cup masa harina

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening (4 tablespoons)

about 3/4  cup warm water

 

Put the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix  together.  Add the shortening and distribute it very thoroughly into the flour mixture.  Make sure there are not any lumps or coarse size bits of shortening remaining.  Add most of the water to begin to form the dough.  Add more water if needed to form a somewhat moist dough.  Remove it to a cutting board and knead for a few minutes until it is smooth. Add more flour or water as needed. Divide it into about 10 equal portions and roll them each into a ball. Cover well with plastic or a wet cloth and let them rest for about 45 minutes. Pre-heat your griddle or heavy pan to medium.  On a lightly floured work surface,  roll out one of the portions with a rolling pin to a thin round shape.  Very lightly oil the pan or griddle. Place the rolled out dough on the griddle,  it should lightly sizzle when it hits the pan,  and cook for about 1 minute. Flip it over and continue for another minute or so.  Store it in a kitchen cloth as you continue with the rest.

If the tortillas are coming out a little hard or brittle,  it could be that your pan or comal (griddle) is too hot or the dough was not moist enough.  Also,  they will thicken up somewhat as they cook, but should have a tender and pliable texture.  Make sure you are rolling them out thin enough.

For those not familiar with masa harina,  it is a “flour” made from corn that has gone through a process where the hull is removed before grinding.  It can usually be found in the baking section of the supermarket.  Corn flour will not work for this recipe.   I also tried using  fresh corn masa straight from a tortilleria, tortilla factory,  but decided to keep with the masa harina since it is more accessible.

These simple quesadillas are stuffed with fire-roasted Anaheim chiles and Oaxacan cheese. I wish you could have joined me.