Mexican Tortillas

Photo: flickr user leoncillo sabino

Ingredients

225 grams Polenta (Maize Meal)

1 teaspoon Salt

225 grams Plain white flour

25 grams Lard or margarine

300 mls Warm water

Preparation

Mix the maize meal, salt and white flour in a large bowl, add the lard or margarine and rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and mix to a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a short time until smooth. Shape the dough into 4 equal balls, roughly the size of a tennis ball, and let them rest for about an hour covered with a damp tea towel. Roll each ball out thinly on the floured surface to a circle about 25cm (10 inch) in diameter.

Heat an ungreased griddle or large frying pan and fry the maize meal pancakes over a fairly high heat, turning them over so they are lightly brown on each side.

Variations.

The tortilla is a multi-purpose bread and can be served as it is, a thin, flat cornbread to accompany food. It can also be used as a platter or scoop for thick meat or bean mixtures. It can be fried on one side only and rolled round a chilli-and-bean stuffing to become a Taco, or stuffed, sometimes fried and coated in sauce when it is known as an Enchillada.

Finally, it can be sprinkled with sweet mixtures and served as a pudding.