Corn Tortillas Recipe

Place the masa harina in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the water while mixing by hand, until the masa is fully hydrated, forms a mass that holds its shape, and has no dry patches. Then, knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough is smooth, pliable, still hydrated, and doesn't stick to your clean hands.

Divide the dough into 12 balls, each about 2 oz.

Flatten each ball into a disk by applying gentle pressure and rotating the masa between your hands.

Ensure the edges are smooth. If they crack, the masa is too dry; if it sticks to your hands, it's too wet. In either case, adjust the consistency by adding more water or masa harina to the prepared dough until it reaches the ideal texture.

Keep the shaped disks in the bowl, covered with a kitchen towel, to prevent them from drying out.

Preheat a seasoned carbon steel comal to 450-500°F and maintain the temperature. This heat range is roughly equivalent to medium-low heat. It's essential to ensure the comal is hot before making tortillas.

Prepare the tortilla press by lining it with two plastic rounds. Place a masa disk in the center of the press, between the liners. Close the plates and apply gentle pressure to flatten the masa into a thin, even tortilla. If needed, rotate or flip the tortilla to achieve a uniform thickness.

Remove the tortilla from the liners and place it on the hot comal using a smooth, back-handed sweeping motion.

Cook the underside just until the edges begin to deepen in color and the tortilla releases from the comal, about 20 seconds. Then, flip and fully cook the other side until lightly browned, about 1 minute 15 seconds. Finally, flip once more to allow the tortilla to puff up and develop golden brown spots, about 30 seconds.

Once cooked, remove the tortilla from the heat and wrap it in a kitchen towel. Keep the wrapped tortillas inside an enclosed tortilla warmer to steam and soften while remaining hot. Repeat the process to cook and store the remaining tortillas.