Do you know what’s good for you? Whole foods that are natural and not processed. Do you know what else is good for you? Eating in a way that supports a sustainable lifestyle, which includes eating less meat and more vegetables and fruits so you can conserve the planet’s resources. If you’re anything like me, these two things go hand-in-hand: eating whole foods instead of processed foods (like the wheat flour ones) and thinking about how diets affect the environment (since tortilla presses don’t require electricity or fossil fuels to operate).
A cast iron tortilla press is very easy to use and can be used by anyone—even if they have never used a kitchen tool before. You can use it for any dough, including sticky doughs like pizza dough or sweet bread. It’s also great for making tortillas out of different types of flour, such as whole wheat flour or cornmeal. This means that you can make your tortillas at home with ease!
Now that you’ve got your press and are ready to press some tortillas, it’s time to prepare the flour. You could use any kind of flour for this step; however, unbleached all-purpose flour because it has a neutral taste and remains pliable even when cold.
To measure out the flour, use either a measuring cup or a scale. If using a measuring cup: 1 cup of flour weighs 4 ounces (120 grams). If using a scale: 4 ounces (120 grams) will be about 1½ cups of dried, unbleached all-purpose flour measured loosely packed into a dry measuring cup (don’t pack down!). Do not sift or whisk the dry ingredients together!
Flour and grease the tortilla press before starting.
Before you begin, lightly grease a dish towel or paper towel with vegetable oil or shortening. Then, lay the tortilla on the paper towel and spread the oil evenly across its surface. Be careful not to use too much! The goal is just enough to coat the press so that it doesn’t stick when you use it.
Once your tortilla press has been coated in oil, lay another dry paper towel over it—this will absorb any excess oil left on its surface.
Place the ball of dough in the centre of the tortilla press, then close it.
Start by placing the ball of dough in the centre of your press. Then, close it up and press down on the handle to flatten it out. You’ll want to ensure all sides are even and completely flattened before moving on to the next step.
Once the dough is pressed into a tortilla, you can cook it. To do this, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Place your cast iron tortilla press on top of the oil, and then place your dough between the two pieces of metal. Let it sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute before lifting one end of the press and placing it flat on top of a hot pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides (about 2 minutes per side). Use a spatula to flip them over as needed during cooking time; just be careful not to burn yourself!
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to store-bought tortillas or if you simply enjoy making your food and cooking at home, a cast-iron press is an excellent tool in your kitchen. Making homemade tortillas is easy and fun and can be done with kids too! Once you get the hang of it, making your homemade tortillas will become second nature.
