Ben and I start our Saturday mornings planning what to cook for the week while watching some cooking shows for inspiration. Last Saturday, my desire for a slow-cooked pork shoulder was a pre-existing condition, so when we saw someone making carnitas with homemade tortillas, we knew it was meant to be.
Ben was totally on board until he saw the chef deep fry and fold the flour tortillas. I’ve never seen him reject fried food before, so I tried to get to the root of his objection. “Too puffy, and not the folding. I can’t eat that,” Ben explained. He usually folds his tortillas over the fillings (rather than rolling like a traditional burrito) so I asked him how it should be. He searched for a way to make me understand his vision and said, “Like a blanket.”
Since I had no intention of deep-frying our tortillas, it wasn’t a problem. I think Ben foresaw the limited room for fillings with all that puffiness. You don’t have to be a mathematician to see that the blanket technique doubles the loadable surface area. Plus, Ben knows that there’s nothing like a fresh, warm, homemade tortilla, and he didn’t want to mess with perfection.
Flour Tortillas
3 c. Flour
1 T. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
1/4 c. Shortening
1 1/4 c. Warm water
Mix flour, baking powder and salt. With a pastry knife, cut in shortening until pea-sized pieces form (don’t overwork). Add warm water (start with 1 cup and use more if necessary) and stir until dough just adheres together. Form into balls the size of a ping-pong ball. Lightly flour board and rolling pin and roll out dough into thin rounds. Heat a pan over medium high heat and cook tortillas one at a time (a minute or two on each side) until it browns lightly in spots. Keep cooked tortillas warm in clean tea towel.
