Lessons from Honduras - Tortilla Making

As a fourth grade teacher I incorporated making tortillas from scratch into our lessons about early California.  It was fairly easy to make the dough and shape it, but getting it off of the tortilla press in one piece was often difficult unless I doused it in flour.  I kept an electric skillet in my classroom and we'd fry them and then eat them.  They were good, if they weren't covered in flour!

Homemade tortillas are part of the menu for one of the lunches that we serve in Honduras.  They accompany Picadillo and Ashley's Corn and Bean Salad.  It's a delicious combination, especially when piled on the tortillas.  We've tried different ways to get the tortillas, and found that the most successful is to have our Honduran counterparts in the kitchen make them.  And, we get lessons!

This week I bought some Masa (corn flour) and made a batch at home.  Some were used for Pupusas as I have yet to master the technique of making a more authentic Pupusa. I followed the directions on the bag, but did need to add more water to keep the dough moist.  Here's what we learned in Honduras:

Roll the dough into small balls, not quite golf ball size.
Line the tortilla press with circles of waxed paper or parchment paper or plastic bags that you've cut.
Flatten the ball some and then place into a tortilla press.

Press.

Remove upper paper/plastic.
Peel off the lower paper and lay on a greased griddle.

Flip to cook both sides until lightly browned.
Served with your favorite tortilla toppings.

OR turn a few into Pupusas by crumbling cheese on the tortilla after the first flip.  Cover it with a second tortilla and continue cooking until cheese is melted.

 My favorite cheese for Pupusas:

 

The Honduran ladies made beautiful, flat tortillas without the aid of a press.  It seems to be something that they grow up learning.  Our hands and fingers have a long way to go in mastering their technique, hence the need for a press.  Several of us bought them at Wal-Mart in Honduras although they are available here quite readily.