How to Make Flour Tortillas from Scratch

Here's a fun fact: did you know that in 2008, tortilla sales actually surpassed bread sales for the first time ever? Because of tortilla's vast popularity, September has been declared 'National Tortilla Month'!

We all know that there are as many variations on tortillas as there are on sliced bread. At Mattito's, we see many of our guests enjoy them with butter, salsa, or even alongside our famous fajitas.

Even though tortillas come in as many types and varieties as bread does, today, we'll show you a quick, easy recipe for how to make flour tortillas, one of the most popular varieties.

All you need is:

• 2 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 5 tablespoons Lard
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 cup Warm Water
• Medium Bowl
• Fork
• Skillet

1. Add salt to your measuring cup holding your water. Stir the solution gently until salt has dissolved.

2. Into a medium bowl, add flour and lard. Work the mixture with your hands (it will only be sticky for a minute) until it comes to a fine crumble. Just smoosh and moosh until it's all crumbly and an even texture.

3. Pour 2/3 of your water into the dry mixture. Stir with a fork until mixture is chunky. Add remaining water (if needed) until combined and turn out onto a floured board.

4. Knead gently until it comes together (5-10 times). Divide into 12 pieces. Place in a pan (or on a plate) and cover with plastic wrap (or a barely moistened towel) and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

5. Once the dough balls have had time to rest, one by one, roll them with a rolling pin until they are about 7" in diameter. Keep remaining dough covered while you work. Roll them one at a time and cook one at a time, unless you're using a griddle or more than one pan.

6. Heat a dry skillet over medium to medium-high heat (cast iron works great!) and let each tortilla cook for 30-45 seconds. You're looking for brown, not burnt (that's how they make tortilla chips) so don't hesitate to remove when done. Cover with a warm towel until ready to serve.

Congratulations! After you've consumed your tasty flour tortillas, Americans will be one dozen closer to the 85 million tortillas that they consume per year!