We started making our own bread a year or so ago, and now we’re deep into bread-analogous territory, like tortillas. Not all bread is worth it, to me, to do by hand – bagels & croissants come to mind – but tortillas, though a bit of a time-suck, are so delicious homemade that it’s a bit tough to go back to store-bought.

Not so tough that I won’t do it if I’m tired and hungry, but tough. To minimize that chance, I double the recipe and make a bunch at a time. They keep pretty well refrigerated (for a week to 10 days) and can be frozen. We usually plow right through them before we need to think about freezing, though.

Whole Wheat Tortillas (slightly adapted from 100 Days of Real Food)

Ingredients

2½ cups whole-wheat flour
½ cup oil (I use vegetable. If you do double this recipe, use slightly less oil than a full cup – start with ¾ cup, and if the dough is too dry, add a bit at a time until it’s moist but not oily).
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water (heat in the microwave for 1 min or use the very hot tap available in my apartment)

Directions

1. Beat flour, oil and salt until crumbly, about 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. You can use a stand mixer or a dough hook on a hand mixer – or you can beat it by hand.

2. With the mixer running, gradually add the warm water and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes (longer if you’re stirring by hand).

3. Take out the dough and divide it into 12 equal sized pieces. Lisa at 100 Days of Real Food does this by making the dough into a big log shape that is about 8 – 10 inches long, cutting it in the middle, then halving each piece til she has 12 pieces. Lou and I just eyeball same-sized balls of dough that we scoop from the bowl. (Okay, one of us may always be trying to make teeny-tiny tortillas/cookies/hamburger buns while the other tries to explain the importance of consistency for even baking. Whatever.)

4. Roll each piece into a round ball and flatten it out on a baking tray or board. Cover with a damp, clean dishcloth or lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to one hour.

5. Heat a cast iron skillet, griddle or 12-inch skillet over med-high heat. Make sure the pan is hot (you can drop some water on the surface; if it scatters, it’s hot).

6. On a lightly floured board or counter top, roll each ball into a flat circle. Size and depth are pretty much up to you. I have started making my tortillas on the thinner side, but I like them a bit thicker (maybe 1/3 inch) as well for tacos.

Kids in the Kitchen: Rolling out Whole Wheat Tortillas

7. Grease the pan with a touch of oil and then carefully transfer each tortilla, one at a time, to the pan and cook until puffy and slightly brown, about 30 to 45 seconds per side. Here's the pain part: At some point, as you attempt to ready tortillas for your skillet, your kitchen may start to look like this: (I'll wait while you pin.)

8. But whatever. They're so good. Set aside on a plate to cool slightly. Eat immediately, like with fajitas, refrigerate or freeze.