Flour Tortillas

MAKES 16 6" OR 8 12" TORTILLAS

Raw tortillas shrink a bit when they're cooked.

4 cups flour
1 1⁄2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. lard

1. Put flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and mix well. Work lard into flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Add 1 1⁄2 cups warm water and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 15–20 times. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. To make 6" tortillas, divide dough into 16 balls and roll out on floured surface into 7" circles; to make 12" tortillas, divide dough into 8 balls and roll out into 13" circles.

3. Heat a large dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook tortillas, one at a time, until blistered and charred in spots, 1 1⁄2–2 minutes per side. Wrap in a clean dish towel to keep warm.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #68