I finally got around to making the gluten-free soft corn tortilla recipe from Terry Hope Romero’s “Viva Vegan!” cookbook. They are just wonderful! I wanted to share more details with you so that you will know exactly what to expect. This gluten-free corn tortilla recipe is so easy to make with a tortilla press, though you can do it by hand.
The tortillas are made primarily with masa (a corn flour treated with lime).
I found it at my local grocery store, Raley’s. There is a recipe on the masa harina package, but Viva Vegan! included a unique recipe which is the one I used. I liked it because it contained less mesa flour, making them moister.
Mixing the water, salt and masa is a breeze and can be all completed by hand. Once done, you can either follow the instructions to separate the dough into 12 balls, which gives you 5″ tortillas or you can separate the dough into larger balls.
How I separated the balls evenly was by rolling the dough into a 12″ log and then cut 1″ cubes, then rolled them into individual balls. If you wish to make larger tortillas I suggest rolling them into a 10″ log and cutting 1″ slices.
I was able to make the dough hours ahead of time and then cover the dough with a damp cloth while in a bowl. This was very convenient since you need to serve the tortillas as soon as they are all cooked. I really appreciate the tip to wrap the cooked tortillas in a material napkin to keep them warm, as well.
The original recipe on the package called for 2 cups of masa and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, but Terry’s recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/4 cups of masa. I just used 1/4 teaspoon of salt with the 1 1/4 cup of masa, making it lower in sodium. Our family used to use store bought flour tortillas, but they were so high in sodium that we stopped using them. Plus, I was able to use sea salt which is lower in sodium compared to regular salt and much healthier for you, as I have read it is supposed to rid your body of water retention. I haven’t read any studies on this, though.
I used a tortilla press which I purchased on Amazon fairly inexpensively, but it is a steel one and will last a lifetime! You may also purchase less inexpensive, aluminum ones.
A recipe for soft corn tortillas which are naturally gluten free, and may be made thin.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups Mexican masa harina*
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions:
- In a bowl, add the masa harina, water, and salt; mix to form a dough.
- Pinch off a piece of dough and roll it into a ball.
- Keep remaining dough covered with a damp cloth or tea towel, or store in a ziplock bag.
- If using a tortilla press, line the press with plastic wrap and press to make thin; or you may find it much easier to roll homemade tortillas between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, though it may be harder to get as thin as using a press.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat.
- Heat the tortillas until cooked, about 30 seconds on each side.
Tips
*Maseca brand masa is gluten free.
Tortillas are so much fun.