How to Make Corn Tortillas Using Masa

If you're like most folks, you buy your corn tortillas from the store as pre-made disks made from basic bread flour.
In Mexican cuisine, though, true tortillas are generally made from masa flour, which can be found in the baking aisle at most grocery stores.

Masa is a medium-ground corn flour made from dried corn that has been soaked in a lime solution. According to Maseca, one of the companies that sells masa flour, it is also used to make tamales and gorditas. Masa has a slightly grainy texture and a sweet taste from the corn. The word masa is Spanish for dough, and that's just what it becomes once it's transformed.

To make eight delicious corn tortillas, mix one cup of regular masa flour with 2/3 cup of water and a teaspoon of salt in a large bowl and use your hands to form it into a single large ball.

Once the dough is formed, cover it with a damp towel and let it rest for approximately five minutes. Meanwhile, heat a pan to medium-high setting. Do not grease or oil the pan. It's not necessary.

Once the pan is warm, it's time to start making tortillas. If you have a tortilla press, now is the time to locate it. Otherwise, grab a rolling pin or a heavy frying pan (not the one on the stove). The next step varies slightly depending on what you've chosen to form your tortillas. Grab some plastic wrap and use it to so that the rolling pin, press or pan never directly touches the masa. This is done because masa tends to stick, and that makes it difficult to remove the uncooked tortillas without tearing them.

Now pull off small hunks of dough approximately the size of a golf ball and roll them into a ball. You're now ready to smash each dough ball flat so that it forms a tortilla. The trick is to make sure the ball is smashed with a great deal of pressure. To accomplish the job, most seasoned chefs prefer the tortilla press.. If you're using a rolling pin or pan, though, you'll be fine. Just be sure to apply lots of pressure so each ball is as flat as possible.

Once pressed, carefully peel off the tortilla and place it in the hot pan. Cook each side for approximately 45 seconds. Then place the cooked tortillas on a plate to cool. Check the first few to make sure they've finished cooking. If not, adjust the heat or the time.

When finished cooking all of the dough, use a towel dampened slightly with warm water to keep the tortillas moist and warm. Then fill them with your favorite meats and/or veggies and enjoy.

For tostada chips, allow the tortillas to cool and slice each into three or four smaller shapes, typically triangular in nature. Then fry the pieces in hot oil.

There are many more ways to cook with masa. So feel free to experiment.