Grain
Corn tortilla
Also called maize tortilla, corn tortillas
A thin flatbread of nixtamalised maize, the architecture of a taco. Good ones smell of cooked corn and mineral lime and stay pliable when hot.
Origin
Mesoamerica. The tortilla is the daily bread of Mexico; the factory pack is a compromise.
Flavour
Toasted corn, a slight tang from nixtamal, a hint of char when heated properly. Flour tortillas taste of wheat and fat — a different dish if you swap them.
How it is made
Dried maize is cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution, washed, and ground to masa.
How to use it
Heat on a dry, hot pan until the tortilla puffs or spots and turns pliable — a few seconds a side. Cold from the pack they crack when you fold them. A stale pack can be sprinkled with water and wrapped in a cloth over steam. Double-stack for a wet filling (birria, al pastor) so the bottom one does not collapse. Do not oil the pan unless you are making a quesadilla; oil fries the surface and they go leathery. Salt the filling, not the tortilla.
Storage
Fridge after opening, well wrapped, or freeze with paper between stacks. Stale ones become chips or chilaquiles, not tacos.
Recipes using it
Checking your allergy settings…
