How to Make Blue Corn Tortillas with a Tortilla Press

Did you know tortilla sales are second to sliced bread, beating out hamburger and hot dog buns since 2010? They can be used in so many amazing dishes, or fried up for a crispy snack. Try making your own with the recipes and tutorials from The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook.

Blue corn is a central Mexico thing that has become a signature of Native American cooking, particularly in Arizona and New Mexico. Hopi and Navajo cultures rely on blue corn.

Tortillas can be made from blue corn masa harina pretty much the same way yellow and white corn tortillas are made. Minsa and Maseca are two prominent brands. Blue corn tortillas can also be made using blue cornmeal with the addition of flour. Besides a lovely color that can range from blue to purple, blue corn has a light, nutty flavor. Some advocates promote blue corn as more nutritious than other forms of corn. Like all tortillas, those made from blue corn can also be fried for chips or used in other dishes that call for tortillas.

These may be used with any recipe calling for corn tortillas but are especially good with dishes using chicken and pork. Do not add regular flour if you want gluten-free blue corn tortillas.

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) blue corn masa harina
2 to 3 tablespoons (16 to 24 g) all-purpose, unbleached, or (18 to 27 g) gluten-free flour
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ to 1? cups (285 to 315 ml) warm water (more as needed)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk or stir together the masa and flour, if using, and salt.
2. Add the water. Mix, using a wooden spoon or spatula and hands, until all the ingredients are well-blended. Knead for 20 to 30 seconds until the dough is pliable. The dough should be moist enough to hold together. Add warm water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, if needed.
3. Divide the dough into 12 golf ball–size orbs, shaping with your hands. Place each dough ball in a bowl and cover with a damp towel to keep moist.
4. Press or roll each dough ball using a manual tortilla press (page 26) or rolling pin and cook on a hot comal or griddle. Or press and toast using an electric tortilla press/toaster.
5. Keep warm until all the dough is used.

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