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What are Tortillas?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Tortillas are unleavened flat breads made with corn or wheat flour, water, and salt. They are widely used throughout Latin America, but are most closely associated with Mexican cuisine, where they make up the bulk of nutritional intake for impoverished Mexicans. Tortillas are used in dishes like tacos, burritos, or quesadillas, and when they get stale they are fried and used for chips, in chilaquiles or in tortilla soup, also known as Sopa Azteca. The term is also used in Spain to refer to a type of flat omelet, and the root for both words is the same: torta, or little cake.

The Amerindians were the first people to work with corn, and they have been making tortillas for centuries in the traditional way. Flour tortillas were a later invention, and are not widespread in Mexico, because corn is more nutritious and usually cheaper to obtain. Although tortilla making machines are used for commercial production, homemade tortillas are widely available in Mexico and in other parts of the world with large immigrant communities. Homemade tortillas tend to be more flexible, with a more intense corn flavor that some people find preferable.

Tortillas often are made from corn.
Tortillas often are made from corn.

To make tortillas, a cook starts with whole dried corn and boils it in a pot with water and calcium hydroxide, colloquially called slaked lime or tequesquite in Mexico. Calcium hydroxide is an alkaline mineral that loosens the skins of the corn and releases nutrients held inside. This is one of the reasons that the tortilla is so nutritious: the slaked lime releases bound nutrients so that the consumer can benefit from them. Then, the cook grinds the mixture with a stone, periodically adding water so that the mixture turns into a smooth paste which can be formed into balls. Traditionally, the balls are hand formed into perfectly even tortillas, which are ready to cook on the griddle.

Flour tortillas came about after corn tortillas.
Flour tortillas came about after corn tortillas.

Many home cooks making tortillas use a tortilla press, a device which is designed to produce even, round tortillas by compressing them between two heavy metal dies. Commercially manufactured tortillas are often made on huge assembly lines with cutters and rollers, which can produce tortillas even more quickly than a tortilla press. When packaging tortillas for shipping, they are usually frozen so that they stay fresh. Mexico exports tortillas all over the world, but the market within Mexico for packaged tortillas is actually relatively small, because cooks find it cheaper to make tortillas at home and they prefer the home made flavor.

Tortillas are a staple in many Mexican dishes, such as enchiladas.
Tortillas are a staple in many Mexican dishes, such as enchiladas.

In 2006, concerns were raised about a nutritional crisis in Mexico due to climbing corn prices, which were in turn affecting impoverished Mexican families. In early 2007, the Mexican government began to think about ways to avert it, including government subsidies for corn. The loss of traditional tortillas would be devastating to impoverished Mexican families who rely on them for nutrition, but also to Mexican culture in general, because the tortilla is an essential component of Mexican cuisine.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

leilani

You can warm up tortillas before use in a dry frying pan. Half a minute on each side will be enough to warm it up and make tortillas more pliable.

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    • Tortillas often are made from corn.
      By: smereka
      Tortillas often are made from corn.
    • Flour tortillas came about after corn tortillas.
      By: Jiri Hera
      Flour tortillas came about after corn tortillas.
    • Tortillas are a staple in many Mexican dishes, such as enchiladas.
      By: foodcolors
      Tortillas are a staple in many Mexican dishes, such as enchiladas.
    • Tortillas are widely used for tacos, both crispy and soft.
      By: Brent Hofacker
      Tortillas are widely used for tacos, both crispy and soft.
    • Tortillas may be made with wheat flour.
      By: m.u.ozmen
      Tortillas may be made with wheat flour.
    • Flour tortillas are cut into strips and then fried to make tortilla chips, the perfect accompaniment to robust salsa.
      By: JJAVA
      Flour tortillas are cut into strips and then fried to make tortilla chips, the perfect accompaniment to robust salsa.
    • Flour tortillas are often used to make wrap sandwiches.
      By: D. Loren Keith
      Flour tortillas are often used to make wrap sandwiches.