Dining IN: Easy Homemade Tortillas

It's easy to recreate delicious Mexican restaurant-style dishes at home, especially if you use homemade tortillas. They're not only delicious and healthful, they're also incredibly easy to make.

Homemade tortillas are softer and more pliable than those you purchase in the store. They won't crack or break when you stuff them (or overstuff them, as Donnie and I tend to do!). Plus, they hold up well when topped with sauce and baked, unlike the store-bought variety, which sometimes get limp when used for enchiladas or casseroles.

Below is my all-time favorite recipe, adapted from the More with Less cookbook. I like to make a big batch on the weekends, then refrigerate or freeze until we're ready to use them.

Easy Homemade Tortillas

Combine in a large bowl:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Then, cut in with a pastry cutter:

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

Once the mixture has the consistency of soft crumbs, gradually add:

1/2 cup warm water

Mix with a fork until a stiff dough forms, then knead thoroughly until smooth (you will be able to see some air bubbles in the dough). Lightly coat the dough with vegetable oil, cover tightly, and refrigerate at least one hour. Return the dough to room temperature when you're ready to roll the tortillas out.

Divide your dough into 12 balls of equal size (if you need larger tortillas, you can make 8 or even 6 balls). On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into as thin a circle as possible, approximately six inches in diameter.

Cook the tortillas in a very hot, ungreased skillet, about twenty seconds on each side. You will see the tortillas bubble up and brown. Don't let the edges crisp, or you'll be left with tortillas that crack when you fold them.