A tortilla is made by curing maize in limewater in the nixtamalization process, which causes the skin of the corn kernels to peel off (the waste material is typically fed to poultry), then grinding and cooking it, kneading it into a dough called masa nixtamalera, pressing it flat into thin patties using a rolling pin …
Mexican tortillas: the world’s most amusing bread
Mexican tortillasare something essential forthe traditional cuisine of this country.
Tortillas, made with corn or wheat flour, are, indeed, almost omnipresent on the table, eaten as a side dish – like our bread – but more frequently used as the main ingredient of many recipes of the Mexican cuisine and of the Tex-Mexcuisine as well.
Similar to Italian piadina, or to the chapati of the Indian tradition, tortillas are substantially a unleavened bread, usually round in shape, made in different diameters.
Of course, when they are homemade, there is a wider diversity in the diameter and, above all, in the irregularity of the circle. However, on the market different sizes can be found.
Mexican tortillas are made with wheat or corn flour. Although they both belong to the Mexican and Tex-Mex culinary tradition, the corn tortilla is undoubtedly the most typical one. As a matter of fact, corn is the basic food in Southern America cuisine, handed down since ancient times, long before Spanish colonization.
The tortillas recipecomes from far away, from the Aztecs’ times. And, before that, comes the way to treat corn and the flour derived from it.
The most famous Mexicantortillas recipes
Both corn and wheat Mexican tortillas can be used in many amazing traditional recipes and, consequently, in the nearby Tex-Mexcuisine.
One of the most successful dishes made using tortillas is the burrito. Burrito is made with a big tortilla with different kinds of filling and that is rolled up and eaten also as a street food.
The most famous burritos of the Tex-Mex tradition are the chili con carne ones.
In the Fine Food Group catalogue Los Hermanos burritos line offers a chorizo version, the traditional Mexican sausage, and a vegetarian version.
Rolled up as well, but tighter, like small filled cannoli, here are the enchiladas. They are stuffed with beans, meat, cheese or vegetables and the recipe requires that the tortilla, a corn tortilla in this case, is dipped in the chili sauce, a thick sauce made with chicken broth, flour and smoked chili peppers.
The tortilla is once again the protagonist in the quesadillas. In this dish the corn or the wheat tortillas are filled with cheese and folded as a pocket.
In the tlayudas, instead, the tortilla is scattered with lard and flavored with beans and Oaxaca cheese. The tortilla is big in size and it is served open, like Italian pizza.
Very similar to the burritos are the chimichangas, tortilla rolls filled with many ingredients, tightly closed and fried in abundant boiling oil.
When the tortilla is folded like a sea shell and it is filled with meat, beans, tomatoes and lots of sauces, it is called tacos. It is one of the most delicious ways to eat Mexican tortillas!
Finally, by making a cross-cut on the tortillas we obtain 4 small triangles that, when they’re fried, become tasty nachos, the crunchy snacks to be dipped in guacamole for a tasty appetizer in full Tex-Mexstyle.
Mexican tortillas are a must in many dishes made according to the traditional recipe. It is the case of chili con carne and the fajitas. If the tortillas don’t accompany them, these dishes can’t be considered complete.
Making tortillas the ancient way
FAQ
What are authentic tortillas made of?
How were traditional tortillas made?
How were tortillas made in Aztecs?
Are tortillas traditionally corn or flour?
How were tortillas made?
The first tortillas, which date approximately 10,000 years before Christ, were made of native corn with dried kernel. Today, corn tortillas are made from either corn cooked in a lime-based solution or by using corn flour, producing a dough, forming it like a pancake and finally baking it in an oven.
What are Mexican tortillas?
Mexican tortillas are something essential forthe traditional cuisine of this country. Tortillas, made with corn or wheat flour, are, indeed, almost omnipresent on the table, eaten as a side dish – like our bread – but more frequently used as the main ingredient of many recipes of the Mexican cuisine and of the Tex-Mex cuisine as well.
How are corn tortillas made?
Today, corn tortillas are made from either corn cooked in a lime-based solution or by using corn flour, producing a dough, forming it like a pancake and finally baking it in an oven. Among native Mexicans, tortillas are also commonly used as eating utensils.
How to make Mexican tortillas with corn flour?
To make Mexican tortillas with corn flour it is necessary to use a specific white flour, called masa. Not only because the tradition says so and its use will guarantee us to make a real food with an authentic Mexican taste, but also because using a corn flour like the one most commonly used in Italy, so yellow and grainy, would ensure us failure.