just discovered tortillas are ridiculously easy to make.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Tried making them out of necessity - we are eating our store cupboard up and on a 'essentials shop' only for a few weeks while we do that.

Can't believe how easy they are and how much tastier. Shant be buying them again!

Now then, could one use wholemeal flour???

You must have subliminally planted the idea in my mind Riven

I make them whenever I can especially when school breaks up. The store bought ones are like cardboard. The dds love them. DD1 is now helping to flatten them. We pat them with fingertips the traditional way.

I tried these today and wasn't that impressed [it's probably just me though!]. It's probably just a recipe I would use in an emergency.

Right, so yesterday's tortillas (six or seven of them) used 8oz of bread flour, quarter a teaspoon of salt and about 140mls of slightly warm water. However i was using wholemeal so if using white it'll probably need less water. Maybe start with 100 mls and add more as you need it. Ime softer stickyer dough makes tougher tortillas so try to use as little water as you can get away with. Also use a really hot dry pan so the it cooks rather than dries out. A few charred bits are all good to me!

I just mix, give it the tinyest kneed, just to bring together, then rest in a bag/cling film till i want it. When they come out of the pan i wrap them in a tea towel to keep warm and soft. They're best eaten fresh but leftovers make a great fattoush.

They often puff up like a balloon and i've encouraged this to make pitta type pockets before. Just roll out the dough as normal. Fold in half and lightly roll again, applying more pressure along the join.

So, MoonFace, could I make the dough the night before, then keep it in the fridge wrapped in clingfilm to cook for tea the next day?

yes definatly. We often do that. We might have fajitas with wraps one night, then use the rest of the dough the next night to turn the left overs in to burritos or something (though for that you could probably get away with making all the wraps at once tbh). If you can take it out of the fridge a bit before you want to roll it it's a bit easier. But no matter if not.

Marvellous, thank you!

my next adv enture will be making naan bread on friday. did look at making poppadoms but I don't have chickpea flour.....

That sounds interesting. Is it difficult?

Guess all cultures have a flat type bread. You could do a tour of the world

it looks quite easy, one recipe might try it with strong bread flour though, getting a bit lowish on plain.

I think that we may well end up doing a tour of the world

Inspired by this thread I made sopapillas last night. DD1 had them with Nutella instead of honey and dd2, dh and dd2 had them savoury with melted butter frijoles revueltos (refried beans) and good ole cheddar. Add a cup of fresh coffee and yum. food for the soul.

Brilliant!

Will give it a go.

Thanks

oh foxy, they look lush! Tbh what isn't improved by being fried? Don't answer that.

Ohyoubad nigella uses 00flour for everything. Think it is fine to use strong flour where plain would do but not vice versa iyswim. Didn't realise poppadoms were made with gram flour [ignorant emoticon]. I heart gram flour!

I dread to think the calorie count on sopapillas but they are stuff from my childhood and eating them evoke certain memories. So no, I won't count the calories.

I use (roughly because I cook them by sight) 2 c. plain flour (a small tea cup will do), 1.5 - 2 c. water, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix in the water slowly till I get the right consistency and flatten into tortillas on a greased surface then shallow pan fry straight away. no waiting around and they cook off so fast so they get eaten as they get made.

If making tortillas, I put about an oz or 2 of butter to give it a good texture. The rule of thumb for tortillas is to mix in the dry ingredients in first with the butter. When it starts to look like fine bread crumbs you have enough butter in them. Then add the water. Don't be afraid to add water. It goes goopy, sticky and tacky first due to the butter but as you keep working it with your hands, the texture improves and goes doughy soft. This takes up to 5 minutes to happen.

Make off into little balls and leave to rest covered, with cling film on in a covered bowl for 10 mins before stretching out.

This is why tortillas take longer. Sopapillas don't need to rest. Plus their cooking time is slower.

I must try sopapillas - hadn't heard of them before. They look amazing!

also didnt know that chickpea flour=gram flour