Flour tortillas

Flour tortillas are so easy!

Before I start my family like BIG tortillas, like dinner plate size so if you like them smaller make them smaller but this recipe makes 12 Large tortillas

Flour tortillas

4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Lard (you can use shortening if you like * More on this below)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/4 cup Warm Milk

Combine the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl of your stand mixer. with the bread hook attachment, add the lard and mix until you can't see any more lumps of lard (this gives it kinda a grainy texture) then with the mixer running on about medium add the milk. Mix until it forms a smooth ball of dough on medium high. this can take up to 5 mins.
I know mine is done when I pull the hook up and the ball of dough where it pulls from the hook is a bit stringy looking.

Then I divide the dough into 12 pretty equal pieces and make them into a ball. I do this on my counter, and cover the balls with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 mins.
At the end of 30 mins roll to paper thin on a floured surface.

Then cook them on a medium hot griddle (I like cast iron for this but anything works fine).
If your serving them right away put them in a towel covered plate or warmer, or if your going to use them later allow them to cool to lukewarm on a rack then place in a Ziploc back, I think they keep for a week or so but mine never last that long.



* Okay why lard? I know its bad for you.. and its really gross, but if you eat bacon why not lard? it doesn't taste or smell like pork, in fact if you were to put lard and vegetable shortening side by side you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
With this said, when lard is put in tortillas, it makes a better texture and flavor than veggie shorting.
A quick check on the web gives me

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fats-and-oils/483/2

and some people actually think it might be better for you than vegetable oil.

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/nutrition/trans-fatty-acids-lard-better-than-vegetable-oil-00298.html