Food Like That: Recipes your mouth will like

When mixing the masa, mix all the Masa Harina with 1-1/4 cup of the water. You can work it with your hands, if you like. If it seems too dry, add additional water, a teaspoon at a time. Too much water, and you won't be able to peel the plastic off the tortilla; too little and your tortilla will be dry and crumbly. Unlike pastry dough, masa does not suffer from being over-handled.

• The masa will dry out quickly. Keep it covered with a piece of plastic wrap while making your tortillas.
• Cut up sandwich or (my favorite) freezer bags work better than the flimsier plastic wrap or waxed paper.
• Hold the pressed tortilla (with the plastic on both sides) in one hand. Peel away the top plastic from the tortilla (not the tortilla from the plastic). Flip it over into your other hand, and peel away the other piece of plastic.
• Gently place the tortilla on the hot skillet or griddle. It should make a soft sizzling sound when you do. If your tortillas are not perfect circles, don't worry; they will still taste wonderful.
• If your skillet or griddle is at the right temperature, a tortilla can be cooked in no more than 2 minutes.
• The use of cast-iron utensils is important. You are cooking at high heat on a dry surface, and a lighter-weight utensil could warp.
• Brown spots on your tortillas are good -- an indication that they are handmade, rather than punched out of a big machine and cooked assembly-line fashion.

The number of tortillas you make with this basic recipe depends upon their size and thickness. I usually get about 12 to 14 tortillas approximately 6 inches in size, depending upon the number I am compelled to eat while I'm cooking (I usually keep the butter and salsa handy during the process).

The experienced tortilla cook need not turn out tortillas one at a time. You can get your own assembly-line process going by using two big skillets. Another pair of hands in the form of a kitchen helper can hasten the process, as well.

Put your hot tortillas in an aluminum foil pouch wrapped in a kitchen towel or napkin. You want them to stay hot and tender. Corn tortillas can be made 2 hours in advance, wrapped and reheated. Bake, in a 350°F oven for about 12 minutes.

If you think tortillas from the supermarket taste just fine, this article may not be for you. Come to think of it though, if you think they taste okay, could be you don't really know how a tortilla is supposed to taste. This article could be for you after all.

After you have made tortillas once, you will be experienced enough to make the judgment calls regarding the amount of water, cooking temperature and "feel" of the masa. You will know how everything is supposed to look and feel. Best of all, you will know the smell and taste of fresh, handmade corn tortillas produced right in your own kitchen.