Tony’s Tortilla Family Recipe

“Every time I make tortillas I remember Mom sitting by the stove, rolling tortillas while all the kids were around the table waiting for them,” Tony Alvarado remembers, laughing. “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”

Tony grew up in Van Horn, Texas with his parents and seven siblings. Tortillas were a staple in their house – they were inexpensive and easy to make. But it wasn’t just food. His mom had no washing machine, no dryer. She did everything by hand. Making her children tortillas was more than a meal – it was an act of love. This authentic flour tortilla recipe is a simple one, but can represent so much more when you share it with your family.

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Ingredient List

For the Tortillas:

4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 - 1 cup warm water

Instructions

Preparation

Mix dry ingredients.
Add shortening.
Add water and mix well with your hands.
Divide dough into 3 oz ball.

While rotating in your hands, flatten the ball with your fingers into a disc. This is called a “testales”.
Cover the testales and let them rest for 15 minutes.
Roll testales flat with a rolling pin.

Cooking

Cook on a hot griddle for about 30 seconds, or until light brown spots form on the bottom.

Flip and continue to cook for another 30 seconds or until light brown spots form.

Instructions

Step 1 of

Mix dry ingredients.
Add shortening.
Add water and mix well with your hands.
Divide dough into 3 oz ball.

While rotating in your hands, flatten the ball with your fingers into a disc. This is called a “testales”.
Cover the testales and let them rest for 15 minutes.
Roll testales flat with a rolling pin.
Cook on a hot griddle for about 30 seconds, or until light brown spots form on the bottom.

Flip and continue to cook for another 30 seconds or until light brown spots form.