Tortillas

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, rub in the shortening until the dough forms a coarse meal. Stir in the water all at once with a fork.

Start kneading the dough, adding extra water by teaspoons to account for any dry dough. When the dough gathers evenly into a soft ball, remove it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough should feel springy, not sticky.

Place the dough in plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. It may sweat and get a bit sticky as it rests, but this can be dealt with by adding a bit of flour and kneading a few times.

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat, While it is heating divide the dough into 6–8 portions, each one a small ball. Dredge each ball in flour and store in plastic again.

On a lightly floured surface roll the balls out into ∼8 in circles one at a time. For best results, rotate (¹⁄₄ turn) and flip the dough every 3–4 strokes of the rolling pin; never roll the pin all the way to the edge of the tortilla—doing so causes brittle and irregular edges; and if the dough is too rubbery to roll out, let it rest another 15 minutes and try again.

Immediately begin cooking the tortillas; do not let the rolled dough sit. The pan should be medium hot, and it is better to cook at too low a temperature than too high. High heat makes the tortillas stiff. Judge doneness by eye. The tortilla is ready to flip when bubbles appear on upper surface. Cooked surface should be spotted with light brown areas. Cooking time is about a minute per side.

Stack finished tortillas on a plate and cover immediately with a pan lid or second plate. If tortillas grow cold, they can be reheated by wrapping in foil and baking in oven at 275 degrees for a few minutes.