Authentic Mexican Tortillas Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Either by hand or with a pastry cutter, cut in the shortening till the mixture is crumbly. If the mixture looks more floury than crumbly, be sure to add just one or two more tablespoons of shortening till it is crumbly. Add about 3/4 cup hot water to the mixture, or just enough to make the ingredients look moist.
• With your hand or a large fork, knead the mixture making sure to rub the dough against the sides of the large mixing bowl to gather any clinging dough. If the dough still sticks to the side of the bowl, add a couple more tablespoons of flour until the dough forms a soft round shape. The dough is ready to roll out now, but it is best to let it rest. Cover it with a dish towel, and let it sit for about an hour or so.
• Take the dough, and pull it apart into 10 to 12 balls. Lightly flour your rolling area, and roll each ball with a rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thickness.
• Place each tortilla on a medium hot cast iron skillet. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla does not look doughy.

Steps:

• Prepare sauce: Heat water in large pot to boiling.
• Add tomatillos, 2 onion halves, 6 garlic cloves, and 7 serrano chiles.
• Simmer uncovered 30 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then drain, reserving about 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Place solids in blender or food processor.
• Add remaining onion half, 4 garlic cloves, 3 chiles, the cilantro, and about 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
• Process until smooth.
• Heat oil in medium saucepan.
• Add onion slices and saute until lightly browned.
• Stir in sauce and season with salt.
• Simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 30- 45 minutes.
• If sauce thickens too much, thin it with remaining cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, when the sauce ingredients are simmering, prepare stuffing.
• Heat 2 qt water in large pot to boiling.
• Add chicken, onion, garlic, and salt to taste.
• Simmer just until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool, then remove chicken from liquid.
• Remove and discard skin and bones; shred meat.
• Prepare tortillas: When the sauce is nearly ready and the stuffing is ready, heat small amount of oil in skillet over medium heat.
• Cook tortillas one at a time, turning once, just until flexible but not crisp, about 20 seconds each.
• Drain on a thick layer of paper towels wrapped up inside a clean cloth kitchen towel (or tortilla warmer).
• This will drain them and keep them soft and warm.
• Heat oven to 3500°F.
• Coat two 13x9 baking pans with vegetable oil.
• Dip each tortilla in sauce.
• Fill tortillas with shredded chicken and roll up.
• Arrange a dozen filled tortillas in each pan.
• Top with green sauce.
• Spoon creme fraiche (or sour cream) over sauce.
• Sprinkle chopped onion and cilantro over the top.
• Sprinkle cheese over all.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Broil briefly if the top needs some browning.
• Serve hot with refried beans.
• Note:.
• To freeze: Prepare recipe through step 26. Place rolled enchiladas on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze. Place sauce in a second freezer bag and place both bags in a larger bag. Seal and freeze.
• To serve: Thaw in fridge overnight. Complete assembly and bake as directed in recipe.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix in the lard/margarine with your fingers until the flour resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a very thin, round tortilla. Place into the hot skillet, and cook until bubbly and golden; flip and continue cooking until golden on the other side. Place the cooked tortilla in a tortilla warmer; continue rolling and cooking the remaining dough.
• Store in ziplock bag and re-warm in microwave or oven. If using microwave, wrap tortillas in moist (not wet) paper towel to steam them back to life.