Eclectic Echoes

We’ve been doing a “bit” more Tex-Mex cooking around here lately. The best part (aside from some really good Jalapeños that are being supplied to me from Texas) is that with almost every meal we have been making home-made tortillas. Our 4 year old son is the mixer and roller. He really enjoys helping out in the kitchen as much as possible, whether it’s emptying the dishwasher or cooking. He’s gotten pretty good at rolling out the dough for tortillas with his own roller (just the right size for his hands). After tasting the first batch of homemade tortillas Johann decided that from now on we could only have home made tortillas. (whoops!)

It’s actually really nice, because I know we are creating for him a strong memory. I still remember the smell of frying flat bread from when I was, I have no idea how old. All I know is that I was really young and my dad was pursuing his law degree. Whenever my mother was working, I stayed with a lady who lived in another apartment in our building. I don’t remember anything about her or her children, but I do remember, quite fondly, the smell of the flat breads that she always cooked.

Having run out of bagels this morning, we introduced Johann to sopaipillas which, of course, he loved. Seeing as we were out of baking powder (all those tortillas and a snow storm conspired against us!) we pulled out our bag of Fredericksburg Farms Sopaipilla Mix from Salsa Express. 20 minutes later we were enjoying delicious golden sopaipillas with fresh local honey and cinnamon. Johann actually prefers his plain. Now he has decided that regular donuts — which he tasted once and instantly decided were way too sweet — are “yucky” and “Mexican Donuts” are what we should have for breakfast and desserts.

The best part really is making them together and then sitting down at the table — which he sets — and enjoying a good meal together. There was a time we had trouble getting him to sit still enough to eat at the table regularly. Now he insists on sitting at the dinner table and saying grace before we eat dinner — lately he’s even been asking for candle light dinners at that.

Thought I would share our tortilla recipe. We find ourselves altering it depending on the use. For tortillas eaten as a side bread (with scrambled eggs, chili or such) we use a little less shortening or lard. Well, Tammy would never actually let me use lard, we always use shortening, but some people swear that using at least some lard makes for better flavor. When we are making tortillas for burritos or soft tacos we use a little more shortening.

Flour Tortilla Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (c.) unbleached all purpose flour (or a 50-50 mix of all purpose and White Whole Wheat flour.)
• 2 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• A generous 1/3 c. vegetable shortening, lard, or a mix of the two
• 1 1/4 c. warm water

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly.
3. Add warm water until dough is smooth and not sticky.
4. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter or cutting board and knead 5–10 minutes until dough is elastic.
5. Cover dough and let rest 15–20 minutes.
6. Separate dough into 12 equal sized balls.
7. Heat 10–12″ skillet (preferably cast iron) or comal on high.
8. Lightly dust counter or cutting board with flour
9. Roll out each dough ball to 1/8″ thick disk, best to use a long thin rolling pin (palote) turning the dough 1/4 turn after each pass of the rolling pin..
10. Place one tortilla at a time onto heated skillet or comal and cook about 45 seconds on each side. I usually cook it 30 seconds on the first side, turn and cook additional 45 seconds on the other side (or until it starts to get a few med brown spots) then turn again and cook another 10–15 seconds on the first side.)
11. Remove to tortilla warmer or plate and cover with clean dish towel.

Makes a dozen 8–10″ tortillas.

For those who emailed asking for the sopaipilla (also spelled “sopapilla”) recipe…here you are:

Sopaipilla Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 6 cups (c.) unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder
• 3 tsp. salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, lard, or a mix of the two
• 3 to 3 1/4 c. warm water
• canola oil or shortening to fill sauce pan or pot 3–4″ depth for frying

Instructions:

1. Whisk dry ingredients.
2. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly.
3. Add just enough warm water until dough is elastic, smooth and not sticky.
4. Knead in bowl just enough to ensure ingredients well mixed. Avoid overworking!
5. Cover with towel.
6. Let dough sit covered at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. For best results we give it 2–4 hours or, in the fall and winter when humidity isn’t a problem, we often let ours sit overnight.
7. Divide dough into fourths. If dough is sticky add just enough flour to eliminate stickiness. Sticky dough will not puff as well (still tastes great!), but neither will overworked dough (again still tastes great).
8. Add canola oil or shortening (melted) to 3–4″ depth in large sauce pan or pot.
9. Heat oil on high
10. One fourth at a time, turn onto lightly floured counter or cutting board and roll out to a thick 1/8″.
11. Using sharp knife cut dough into ~4–5″ squares. Cut squares diagonally for triangular shape.
12. Test oil/shortening temperature with a 1/2″ piece of dough. If dough bounces up and floats right away the temperature is good. If dough drops and bubbles on the bottom the oil/shortening needs to be hotter.
13. Once hot enough, drop a few (# depends on size of the pan) dough triangles into oil/shortening and fry until puffed and light golden brown. Occasionally one will turn golden without puffing, usually this indicates the oil must be given time to heat back up.
14. Remove fried sopaipillas to plate covered with paper towels to drain for 2-3 minutes.
15. Once drained remove to serving plate.
16. Serve with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, fresh local honey, syrup or plain.

Makes approximately 4 dozen sopaipillas. You may want to halve recipe, as they do not reheat or keep well. Best eaten very fresh!!

If you have a favorite sopaipilla or flour tortilla recipe you’d care to share please send it along in the comments.