A few weeks ago, I pulled out a bag of my favorite Caramelo flour tortillas to inspect the ingredient list. I had known the company used only high-quality ingredients and very few of them, but I had forgotten if they used some sort of leavening agent, such as baking powder or soda. If you are unfamiliar, Caramelo tortillas char and blister so beautifully due to the presence of myriad air pockets throughout the dough. It turns out Caramelo uses neither baking powder or soda. Their ingredient list includes: flour, sea salt, fat, and water. How. Interesting. The simple, flour tortilla recipe I have been making for years calls for baking powder. The recipe works so well I never questioned the necessity of any of its five ingredients, but shortly after this ingredient investigation, I decided to make the flour tortillas without baking powder, and guess what? The tortillas cooked up just as beautifully as ever. So if it’s not baking powder or some other leavening agent — a sourdough starter, yeast — then what makes a tortilla balloon so dramatically in a skillet? The more I make tortillas, the more I realize it’s simply a matter of two things: That’s it! There’s no fancy mixing or rolling technique, no leavening agent required. Which might have you wondering:
Why use a sourdough starter to make tortillas?
For a few reasons: Regardless if I am using super bubbly active starter or discard, the sour flavor is subtle. This is likely because there really isn’t a fermentation period. After you mix the dough, it rests for 30 minutes, a short period of time that allows the gluten to relax and makes rolling out the dough a teensy bit easier, (though you can get away with skipping this step if you are pressed for time.) This recipe is a snap to throw together (as is the non-sourdough version), and I hope you give it a go soon, and then treat yourself to a pan of homemade enchiladas. So, so good.
What is the best pan for tortillas? A crepe pan!
I love my Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick Crepe Pan, which costs about $120, because it’s the perfect size for cooking tortillas, large or small. The slightly smaller Cuisinart 10-inch Crepe Pan is a less expensive alternative, at about $25. Note: It doesn’t come with the wooden spreader, which you don’t need for tortillas, and which I never use when making crepes anyway. PS: If you are unfamiliar with the sourdough process, I have a free email course that covers the basics. Sign up here: Sourdough Demystified. PPS: A Few Favorite Sourdough Bread Recipes
Sourdough Pizza Sourdough Focaccia Sourdough Boule Sourdough Boule (Whole Wheat-ish) Sourdough Toasting Bread
PPPS: Easy, No-Knead Flour Tortillas
How to Make Sourdough Flour Tortillas
Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients: flour, salt, softened butter, water, and a sourdough starter. Combine the ingredients and mix to form a sticky dough ball. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead gently to combine Divide into 12 portions and roll each into a ball. Transfer to a small floured board, if you wish — I do this to give myself more space on my work surface to roll out the tortillas. Cover with a tea towel and let rest 30 minutes to 2 hours. Roll each ball out as thinly as possible. Each ball will roughly be about 8 inches in diameter. You can layer the tortillas between sheets of parchment paper to give yourself more space. I recently purchased a box of 8-inch square sheets of parchment. I really like the convenience of having smaller sheets on hand. Just a warning: I have only been able to re-use them once before they start losing their non-stick property. Once your tortillas are rolled out, cook them in a hot, dry skillet for roughly 30 seconds a side, or until browned to your liking. I love using my Le Creuset nonstick crepe pan for this. Store the tortillas in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 5 from 147 reviews I love using my Le Creuset crepe pan for cooking tortillas.
