Authentic Gluten Free Homemade Flour Tortillas

Recipe by Gluten Free Foodies

I have been wanting to make a really good Gluten Free flour tortilla for years. This is the best that I have come up with so far. I grew up in Texas and have very, very high standards for flour tortillas – the dough has to be soft with a slight stickiness and just the right amount of powdery flour on the pressed dough to make those beautiful dark markings and bubbles as the tortilla cooks. Structurally, they have to hold up to tons of butter and heavy fixin’s and yet be sort of chewy. All I kept thinking of while I was trying to figure out this recipe was my great grandmother rolling some flour, water, salt and lard into a ball in a matter of seconds. I remember her pressing out the dough and she would let me help. Luckily she did because it made me remember how the dough felt as I would press it between my hands to get it started. I remember the aroma that wafted up as I pushed the press down with all my might. She showed me how to roll it out too and then how to cook it on a well seasoned comal. She had a real one from Mexico City that was older than me. I used all my energy that a 4 year old could muster up pressing and rolling, knowing that there was a golden brown chewy and sometimes crispy, buttery reward at the end. I remember the fragrance of the comal heating up and a slight bit of smoke that would rise as it would reach the perfect temperature. One funny thing I remember, my great grandmother had such style, she wore the best jewelry and clothes from Mexico. I used to admire her hands with her big rings and really long nails – real ones that she would use them to pick up the tortilla and flip it over…. I used to think that was so cool! Why bother with a spatula?! She would plop them down on the counter and sneak the first ones that we made, hot off the comal … slather them up all over with real butter and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them. I can remember quickly rolling the hot tortilla tightly like a big cigar and lifting it above my head … opening my mouth just in time for the buttery cinnamon and sugar to drip in just as I took my first bite … I was inspired by the great flour tortilla quest of Lisa Fain – Homesick Texan and her recipe from 2007 – I converted it to Gluten Free and adapted her recipe to create a pretty darn close to perfect childhood favorite taste and texture memory of mine. She adapted a recipe from The Border Cookbook by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison.

Hey Gluten Free Foodies … on this Twelfth Night or Three Kings Day Do I have a treat for you?!?! Y’all are in for a real treat! Let me tell you that you won’t go back to store bought after you make these … oh yeah! There aren’t any…

REAL GLUTEN FREE HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS

Dry Ingredients
2 cups + little extra Maninis Gluten Free Multiuso Flour Mix
2 generous pinches of sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Wet Ingredients
3/4 warm whole milk – best to use due to higher fat
2 tsp Grapeseed Oil – best for buttery flavor and high smoke point
Tools
rolling pin
pastry board
comal or cast iron skillet
tortilla press
cling wrap
medium size self sealing bag or parchment paper to press out dough
large plate or baking pan for dough balls
clean kitchen towels for keeping the cooked tortillas
warm tongs or spatula to turn the tortillas

Mix the dry ingredients using a large mixing fork. Add the oil Slowly add the warm milk. Continue to mix until the dough becomes sticky and clumpy.

Sprinkle a little bit of Maninis Gluten Free Multiuso Multipurpose Flour Mix on the board and on your hands. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead with your hands for 2-3 minutes. You want the dough to be firm, soft, smooth and not too sticky. Make a large disc and put it back into the bowl with cling wrap on top. Let the dough sit for 20 minutes. Make a cup of tea and have patiences … the wait is worth it! Sprinkle a little more GF flour on the board. Take the dough out and cut into half, then quarters to make 8 sections. Use a clean kitchen towel to cover the dough to keep moist while you make balls with your hands. Place the balls on to the plate or baking pan and keep covered with cling wrap. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut a self sealing bag down both sides and place on the press to keep the GF dough from sticking. You could use parchment paper too if you don’t have a bag. Use a tortilla press to press the dough into a flat disc shape.

If you don’t have a press, then you can just use the palm of your hand to get the dough started. Sprinkle some GF flour onto the board and rolling pin to make a round shape, picking up the dough for half turns, rolling to make the shape. Do your best to make a roundish shape… rustic handmade tortillas still taste great even if they are not perfect!

Heat your seasoned comal on medium high heat. As soon as the comal has heated place the tortilla on it. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until you begin to see bubbles! Turn the tortilla over and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Sometimes I turn them over a few times to get the desired dark markings that make the tortillas look and taste so great and authentic!

CAUTION you will have to eat the first one you make warm off the comal smothered with butter … trust me it is very important to get the butter all over every inch of the tortilla. Rip it or just go for it … one big bite! Butter dripping down your hand and arms … oh yeah! that is the best! Don’t forget that you have others … 7 other tortillas that are waiting to be made too so it is best to remain focused and repeat the pressing, rolling process until all of the tortillas are made. If you are planning on serving the tortillas with some grilled vegetables or meat, I would suggest making those first and keeping them warm in a pan and covered in the oven until the tortillas are ready. You will be too hungry by the time you finish all your hard work that you will want to just dive in to a really awesome, as close to

AUTHENTIC (GLUTEN FREE) FLOUR TORTILLAS

I like to keep it simple … sautéed onions, tender slow cook pulled pork with poblanos, smoky salsa and the tortillas with real butter … Now that I have mastered this recipe I will make these with sautéed vegetables – poblano peppers, onions, carrots and my favorite Pussac Punay Beans! Additional serving suggestions … Salsa Guacamole or Butter, Cinnamon and Sugar

Enjoy! Lisa

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Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Rice-Free Flour Tortilla Recipe

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Maninis Gluten Free Multipurpose Mix
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons oil, preferably extra-light tasting olive oil
3/ 4 cup warm water

Directions:

Mix together the Multiuso Multipurpose Mix, baking powder, salt, and oil.
Slowly add the warm water.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
Knead for 2 minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate not touching and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. It’s important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will become elastic and won’t roll out into a proper thickness and shape.

After the dough has rested again, one at a time place a dough ball on a surface floured with additional mix, pat it into a 4-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center outward until it’s thin and about 8 inches in diameter. If you make pie crusts, this will come to you easily. Don’t over-work the dough, or it will become stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.

In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortillas about 30 seconds on each side. It should start to puff up a bit when done.

Keep cooked tortillas covered, wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat. Makes 8 tortillas

Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or wrapped in foil in the oven.

While you probably won’t have leftovers, you could store them in the fridge, tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

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