Homemade Tortillas

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup lard or butter, grated or cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the lard (or grate it in) and blend until well combined. Add the water and oil and stir until the shaggy dough comes together.
2. Turn it out onto the countertop and knead for about a minute - if it's too sticky, shake a bit of flour over the countertop - until it's smoother. Cover with a tea towel and let sit for 20 minutes or so, just to let the gluten relax before you roll it out.
3. Divide the dough in half, and then each half in half (and so on) to make 8-12 balls, depending how big you want your tortillas to be. Roll them out on an unfloured surface - this will allow you to get them really thin without them springing back, and will keep them from absorbing too much flour - until they're really thin. Set a heavy (cast iron is perfect) skillet over medium-high heat and cook the tortillas in the dry pan until they start to puff slightly and turn just pale golden in spots - you don't want them too brown too much, or those areas will be crunchy and won't roll. Each tortilla will take about a minute - pile them on a plate as you cook them. Wrap in a tea towel and serve warm.
4. Makes 8-12 tortillas.