Tortilla Press

The foods I choose to bulk store for eating during disaster events need to be simple and be cooked on a camp stove or campfire. Tortilla's are one of them.

You can use a rolling pin to roll out the tortilla but a tortilla press makes it so easy and makes each of them a uniform thickness. If you were in a tent or some other minimal shelter you may not have a rolling pin or a flat surface to use it, then the Tortilla Press is the answer, easily making the thin Tortilla.

I purchased my press through Amazon for $13.00 it is a 6 inch diameter size. I  recommend you consider the optional 8 inch diameter press then should you want a larger tortilla you have the press for it. This Norpro press is precision made of die cast aluminum, nicely finished and a well built kitchen tool.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Cast-Aluminum-Tortilla-Press/dp/B00004UE8E/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397828034&sr=8-2&keywords=tortilla+press

This is the very first time I tried to make my own Tortillas. I don't care much for Mexican food so I don't eat them often. If I do I've always purchased them from the supermarket. It was time for another cooking test for making survival meals and I have to say these are just to easy to make.

To test this press and alternate flours I made Tortilla's using the 5 following flours:

Masa Harina Flour:

Makes the best Tortillas and is the easiest to use.

White All Purpose Flour:

Works very well and makes great Tortillas.

100% Whole Wheat Flour:

Works very well. Especially for the fact I have wheat grain in storage I will always have the ability to make Tortillas.

Cornmeal:

Will not form a dough at all. It should not be considered as a possible substitute.

Cornmeal Re-Milled with gluten added:

I ran the cornmeal through my flour mill to mill it finer and also added gluten to it and it still will not form a dough. It should not be considered as a possible substitute.

Masa Harina Flour Tortillas.

All Purpose White Flour Tortillas.

100% Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas.

Recipes I Used:

Makes 10 (5 inch) Tortillas

Masa Harina Corn Tortillas

• 2 cups Masa Harina
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1 tsp salt

All Purpose White Flour

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

100 % Whole Wheat Flour

• 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tbs gluten (optional)
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

• Blend together all the dry ingredients.
• Then add liquids and mix until a dough forms. You can add more water or flour at any time if needed to make a pliable dough.
• By hand shape the dough into a log about 1 inch in diameter and divide into 10 pieces.
• Using your palms form each of the 10 pieces into a ball.

Using the Press:

• You will need to use parchment paper to keep the dough from sticking to the press's metal plates.
• Lay a piece of parchment on the bottom plate, then the dough ball, then the other piece of parchment paper on top the dough ball.
• Close the press to squeeze the dough thin.
• Open the press and remove from the press.
• Peel the dough off the parchment paper. The dough peels of very easily.

Cooking:

In a dry medium-high heat fry pan cook each side of the Tortilla for about a minute or so or until brown spots appear on the dough. Very simple!

Summary:

The Tortilla press is a great addition to any kitchen.

Tortilla making is a simple and very quick process. The only issue to be aware of is dividing the dough into pieces. The 2 cup recipes above produce 10, 5 inch Tortillas. My press is only a 6 inch press, I recommend the 8 inch in case you want a larger Tortilla plus you can always make 5 or 6 inch ones in the 8 inch press. Although the 5-6 inch ones are fine for me.

Dough ball size is the only thing to try and keep uniform. A small ball and the Tortilla will be smaller in diameter, a large ball and the dough will squirt out beyond the press plate edges. You would then have to trim the excess and reform the trimmings into a ball again.