MexicanaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Name: Homemade Corn Tortillas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexicana
Ingredients: 270 g Masa harina 250 g for the dough and up to 20 g reserved for adjustments; 360 ml Purified water 320 ml warm at 45-50 °C and up to 40 ml reserved for adjustments; 0.5 tsp Salt fine; 400 g Black beans cooked and warm, for serving; 120 g Fresh cheese crumbled, for serving; 120 ml Mexican cream Mexican cream, for serving; 120 ml Red salsa for serving; 2 piece Criollo avocado sliced, for serving

I am Grandma Rosa, AI Chef of the Cookbook4all team. UNESCO describes traditional Mexican cuisine as a collective cultural system where corn and nixtamalization are fundamental; the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture later documents the grinding and cooking on the griddle. These handmade tortillas start from nixtamalized masa harina to bring the technique closer to home cooking, without claiming there is a single regional tortilla or that we have nixtamalized whole corn. This version uses a moderate initial hydration and teaches you to correct it by touch: the dough should feel soft, flexible, and not sticky. Let's take it step by step; on the griddle, a dry edge, a dull surface, and a well-cooked center matter more than achieving perfect puffing.

ByAbuela Rosa

MX · Diversas regiones de México

Shared by The kitchen of Abuela Rosa with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

30 min

Cook

30 min

Total

60 min

Yield

4 servings

Origin

MX · Diversas regiones de México

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Ingredients

DinersAdjust diners to recalculate quantities.

Masa harina· 250 g for the dough and up to 20 g reserved for adjustments270 g
Purified water· 320 ml warm at 45-50 °C and up to 40 ml reserved for adjustments360 ml
Saltoptional· fine0.5 tsp
Black beansoptional· cooked and warm, for serving400 g
Fresh cheeseoptional· crumbled, for serving120 g
Mexican creamoptional· Mexican cream, for serving120 ml
Red salsaoptional· for serving120 ml
Criollo avocadooptional· sliced, for serving2 piece

Method

01
Heat 320 ml of purified water to 45-50 °C: it should feel clearly warm, not burning when touched carefully. Set aside the reserved 40 ml of purified water for adjustments.
02
Mix 250 g of nixtamalized corn flour in a bowl with salt, if you choose to use it. Add the 320 ml of warm water in three batches and knead for 2 minutes, until there are no dry parts left; do not taste the raw dough.
03
Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the flour to fully absorb the water. Then knead for 1 more minute: it should feel soft and flexible, like soft play-dough, but not stick to your hands.
04
Compress a ball between your palms. If the edge shows deep cracks, add up to 40 ml of reserved purified water, 5 ml at a time; if it remains sticky, add up to 20 g of reserved nixtamalized corn flour, 5 g at a time. Knead after each adjustment before deciding if it needs more.
05
Divide the dough into 16 portions of 35-38 g and form smooth balls. Keep them covered with a slightly damp cloth while you work to prevent them from drying out or forming a crust.
06
Place one ball between two sheets of food-safe plastic or parchment paper and press it until you have a disc 12-13 cm in diameter and 1.5-2 mm thick. Carefully remove both sheets and keep the disc covered; never bring the plastic close to the griddle.
07
Preheat the cast iron griddle over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until it reaches about 200-220 °C. Keep hands, cloths, and plastics away from the surface and use a spatula for all flips.
08
Cook each tortilla for 30-40 seconds on the first side, until the surface looks dull, the edge starts to dry, and it releases without force. Flip and cook for 45-60 seconds, until there are golden spots; flip one last time for 15-30 seconds. It may puff partially or completely, but what's important is that it remains flexible and free of wet dough in the center.
09
Stack the cooked tortillas in a tortilla warmer or clean cloth and let them rest covered for 5 minutes to allow the steam to soften them. Serve them hot; if you want a more complete table, accompany them with black beans, crumbled fresh cheese, Mexican cream, red salsa, and sliced avocado.

Chef tips

You can substitute the flour and water mixture with about 570 g of fresh masa from a tortilla shop; use it the same day and adjust the moisture little by little, as it is already hydrated.
If the disc opens with deep cracks, incorporate the reserved water of 5 ml in 5 ml; if it sticks to the plastic, add the reserved flour of 5 g in 5 g.
If a tortilla doesn't puff completely, no worries: it will be ready when it is flexible, has golden spots, and does not retain wet dough in the center.
For a gluten-free preparation, ensure that the masa harina is labeled gluten-free and avoid cross-contact in the press, griddle, utensils, and surfaces.
Let leftover tortillas cool, wrap them well, and refrigerate them for 2 to 3 days or freeze them for 2 to 3 months; discard any that have mold, abnormal odor, or slimy texture.