Alright, alright, listen up ya’ll! You wanna learn how to make them New Mexico tortillas, the real deal, like the ones I been makin’ since I was knee-high to a grasshopper? Well, you come to the right place. No fancy words or highfalutin techniques here, just good ol’ fashioned cookin’ like my grandma taught me.
First off, you gonna need some stuff. Don’t go runnin’ to no fancy stores, just get the basics. You need flour – I always use all-purpose, ain’t nothin’ wrong with it – some lard, that’s the secret ingredient for that real flavor, ya know. And then some salt, a little bit of bakin’ powder, and warm water. That’s it! Don’t go gettin’ all stressed about measurements neither, I just eyeball it mostly, but I’ll try to give you an idea.
Ingredients:
- About 4 cups of all-purpose flour
- Good pinch of salt, maybe a teaspoon or so
- Little less than a teaspoon of bakin’ powder, half a spoonful maybe
- Good heaping tablespoon of lard, or shortening if you ain’t got lard
- About one and a half cups of warm water, might need a little more, might need a little less
Now, the makin’ part. Get yourself a big bowl, dump in that flour. Make a little well in the middle, like a bird’s nest. Throw in your salt and bakin’ powder. Then, the lard. Now, here’s the important part. You gotta work that lard into the flour with your hands. Get in there, get your hands dirty! You wanna make it all crumbly, like little peas. My grandma always said, “Treat the dough like you treat your man, gentle but firm.” I never had no man, but I know what she meant for the dough.
Okay, once it’s all crumbly, start addin’ that warm water, little by little. Mix it in with your hands, still gettin’ in there good. You want a dough that’s soft and pliable, not too sticky, not too dry. You might need a little more water, you might need a little less. Just keep addin’ till it feels right. Like my grandma use to say: “the dough will tell ya when it’s ready, listen to it”. Lord, I miss that old woman, she made the best tortillas.
Once you got your dough all mixed up, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for a few minutes, just till it’s smooth and elastic. Don’t over knead it though, you don’t want tough tortillas. Then, you gotta let it rest. Put it back in the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it sit for about half an hour. This is important, don’t skip this step! The dough needs time to relax, just like us old folks.
Alright, now comes the fun part! Get out your rollin’ pin. If you ain’t got one, a clean wine bottle works just as good. Pinch off a piece of dough, about the size of a golf ball. Roll it into a ball, then flatten it out with your hands. Then, start rollin’ it out, nice and even, into a thin circle. Don’t worry if they ain’t perfectly round, nobody’s perfect, least of all my tortillas. And frankly, they taste better when they’re a little wonky.
Now, you gotta cook ‘em. Get yourself a hot griddle, or a cast iron skillet. I like to use cast iron, it gives them tortillas a nice char. Heat it up over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, slap on a tortilla. Let it cook for about a minute or two on each side, till it’s got some nice brown spots and it starts to puff up a little. Don’t burn ’em now, keep an eye on them!
As you cook ‘em, stack ‘em up in a clean dish towel or tortilla warmer. This keeps them warm and soft. And that’s it! You got yourself some homemade New Mexico tortillas. Now, go on and fill ‘em with whatever your heart desires. Some carne adovada, some beans and cheese, some good ol’ butter and salt. Ain’t nothin’ better than a warm tortilla, let me tell ya.
So there you have it. Simple as that. No fuss, no muss, just good eatin’. You go on and try it now, and let me know how they turn out. Just remember, cooking ain’t about fancy recipes and perfect measurements, it’s about puttin’ your heart into it. And maybe a little bit of lard. You take care now, ya hear?
Tags：[New Mexico, Tortilla, Recipe, Homemade, Authentic, Southwest, Cooking, Easy, Flour, Lard]
