Flour Tortillas

Sometimes, you just need some comfort food, and tortillas are my ultimate comfort food.

Besides being totally scrumptious, they are extremely versatile.
You can use them to make breakfast tacos
(yes, it is a taco- burritos are deep-fried and folded on both ends),
enchiladas, lunch tacos, sopapillas, … the list goes on and on.

So, should you be on the great continent of Africa, I have figured out which ingredients (throughout many cups of various flour and many trials) work best to make tortillas.

Here is your recipe. :)

Flour Tortillas, using South African Ingredients:

1 Cup of Holsum Vegetable Fat,
melted in the microwave. (About a 1 1/3 Bars)
6 Cups of Wheat Cake Flour
3 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
2 Teaspoons of Salt
3 Cups of just boiled hot water

Large Bowl
Extra Flour
Rolling Pin
Large work surface
Silicone Scrapers
Tortilla Keeper/Warmer
Flat Tortilla Pan

You may also want an Apron- it’s going to get messy!

Ingredients:

First, in your large bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.

 Melt your 1 1/3 bars of Holsum in a bowl in the microwave,
and then add the liquid into your mixture, after ensuring it is 1 liquid cup.
Now, use your hands and ‘cut’ the Holsum into the flour mixture.
It will look like this when done.

The flour should hold its form when pressed in your hand.

Now, boil your water in a kettle
and add three cups to your flour mixture.

*This will be very HOT!
I use two silicone scrapers to mix it all together initially,
and then use my hands to knead/mix when it is a more manageable temperature.

This is what you should have now.

The next step is to separate this dough into small balls.
It should yield about 22-25 balls, making them about palm sized.

Now you need to flour your working area, as well as your rolling pin.

One by one, roll each ball out to about 1/8″ thickness, or about 6″ in diameter.

By using a perpendicular rolling pattern, you can make an almost-perfect circle.

The top left item is a fabric tortilla warmer, and the one on the right is plastic.
Both are very useful for keeping the tortillas warm.

Once your pan is very hot, add each tortilla, one by one.

Flip to the other side only once large bubbles form.
This should only take a maximum of one minute per side.

Now you have plenty of yummy tortillas to enjoy!

Simplified Recipe

The Perfect RSA Tortillas

Yields: +/- 22
Prep time: Approx. 30 minutes
Cook time: Approx. 20 minutes

Ingredients:
6 Cups of Cake Flour
2 heaping tsp of salt
3 heaping tsp of Baking Powder
1 1/3 Bars (1 Liquid Cup) of Holsum*
(*AKA: Vegetable Fat. Found near the butter in the dairy sections.)
3 Cups of Boiling Water
Large bowl
Extra flour
Rolling pin
Flat pan/skillet
Tortilla warmer (optional)

Directions:
Mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
If your Holsum has been refrigerated, cut it into cubes and microwave for 3 minutes.
Add the soft Holsum to the mixture. Using your hands, squish the Holsum into the flour.
(This is called “cutting”.)

As it mixes, make sure you squish all of the large pieces into small pieces that mix with the flour. Now add in the 3 Cups of boiling water. Use a whisk or other utensil to start mixing, and then use your hands. Once it is well mixed, start kneading the dough. (About 1-2 minutes.)
Separate into palm-sized balls. It should make approximately 22 balls.

Start heating up your flat pan/griddle on high heat.
Generously sprinkle some cake flour onto a flat surface, and using your rolling pin,
roll out each ball into a flat circle, by alternating direction perpendicularly.
They should be very thin, making the diameter at least 6″.

As you continue to roll the balls out, or after you have completed with all,
place your tortilla onto your hot pan/griddle and do not flip until large bubbles form.
It should be about 1 minute per side.

Enjoy warm as-is, or add in various fillings depending on desired meal.