We know what you’re thinking. “But we can get corn tortillas at the grocery store. They’re gluten free. It says so right on the bag.” True. The trick is finding good corn tortillas at the store. In our very frustrating experience, they’re generally bland, inconsistent, and fall apart if you look at them too hard. Fortunately, great gluten free corn tortillas are surprisingly easy to make at home. All you need are a few simple ingredients—many of which you probably already have on hand—and a nice, hot skillet. In no time at all, you’ll have a stack of homemade tortillas just waiting to be used in an endless number of recipes.
The primary ingredient in these tortillas is masa harina, a “flour” made from dried, ground corn. While corn is naturally gluten free, there is an unfortunate amount of cross-contamination in the manufacturing process for most corn products. We use brands like Bob’s Red Mill and Maseca, as they are manufactured in dedicated gluten free facilities, so there aren’t any concerns.
Finding a recipe that resulted in a flavorful, sturdy finished product didn’t take long. We turned (again) to Cook’s Illustrated’s invaluable reference guide “How Can It Be Gluten Free?” In their usual come-to-the-rescue fashion, they offered a simple, yet highly effective suggestion. Their recipe calls for the addition of a little vegetable oil to the batter. It seems like a logical, simple step, but this is not a traditional ingredient, which is a shame, because it has two fantastic benefits. First, it makes the dough much easier to handle, and second, it lends a great texture and pliability to the cooked tortillas.
And don’t feel like you need any special equipment. Some wax paper (or a ziploc bag sliced open along two sides), and either a heavy skillet, pie pan or rolling pin will stand in just fine for a tortilla press. While a good tortilla press is on the Dream Kitchen list and isn’t very expensive, it’s a single-task kitchen tool, and when you’re “pressed” for cabinet space *snicker*, there are too many effective alternatives to justify the purchase. Rolling pin it is, then.
You can actually start by pressing them out with a sturdy pie pan or skillet. It makes the rolling easier and it gives them a beautiful, rustic look that you don’t get from those flavorless, mass-produced discs at the grocery store. At least that’s the story we’re going with. All it takes is a little pressure and practice and you’ll be the toast of Cinco de Mayo.
One of our favorite uses for these babies is to cut them into wedges, brush them with a little oil, spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and throw them in the oven for bit. You’ll end up with a big bowl of homemade tortilla chips, just begging for a queso, salsa, or guacamole bath. They’re also a great vehicle for homemade hummus, btw.
These tortillas also make fantastic homemade tacos, enchiladas, huevos rancheros and quesadillas, and that’s just the beginning. With the approach of the aforementioned holiday, look for additional recipe ideas over the course of the next couple of weeks. Enjoy!
Adapted from How Can It Be Gluten Free?
- 2 cups (10 ounces) masa harina
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups warm water, plus more as needed
- Line a large plate with 2 damp kitchen towels. Mix the masa, 1 teaspoon oil, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the water with a rubber spatula to form a soft dough. Using your hands, knead the dough in the bowl, adding additional water as needed until the dough is very soft and tacky, but not sticky (think the texture of Play-Doh). Cover and set dough aside for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Using paper towel, wipe out skillet, leaving thin film of oil on bottom. Pinch off 1-ounce piece of dough (about 2 tablespoons), and place on work surface covered with a piece of wax paper. Cover ball of dough with additional piece of wax paper, and using a heavy skillet or pie pan, press ball into a 1/16-inch thick tortilla, about 5 inches in diameter. Alternatively, use a tortilla press or rolling pin to create tortilla shape. Working quickly, gently peel wax paper from tortilla and carefully place tortilla in hot skillet.
- Cook tortilla, without moving, until the tortilla moves freely when the pan is shaken, about 30 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and cook until the edges curl and the bottom is spotty brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Flip the tortilla back over and continue to cook until the first side is spotty brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Lay the toasted tortilla between the damp kitchen towels; repeat with the remaining tortillas. (The tortillas can be transferred to a zipper-lock bag and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
- To make tortilla chips, preheat oven to 375°F. Place one tortilla on cutting board and brush with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Continue to stack your tortillas, brushing each top with oil. Using a large knife, cut tortilla stack in half, then cut those halves into thirds or fourths (depending on the size of chips you desire; you will either have 6 or 8 mini stacks of chips). Place chips on parchment lined baking sheet so that they do not overlap at all (use 2 trays if necessary). Bake chips for 8 - 10 minutes, until edges are crisp. Remove from the oven, cool, then serve.
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