Mexican Cooking Tools: The Tortilla Press

From the round shape of the Discada and on to the tortilla press, we’re continuing our series on tools for the at-home chef. This humble tool is a must have!

Im-pressive Tortillas

Like many cuisines around the world, nothing beats made from scratch – and tortillas are no exception. While a rolling pin will get the job done, a tortilladora will create more consistent tortillas and will help speed up the process if you’re making a larger batch.

This tool is best used for making corn tortillas as the gluten in wheat tortillas prevents them from being pressed flat enough with the tortilla press.

How Does it Work?

Modern tortilla presses are made with cast iron, and are comprised of two round plates and a lever. Simply put your ball of masa dough inside a plastic freezer bag to prevent sticking (we recommend cutting the long sides to make it easier to remove), place it on the bottom plate, pull the lever and voila! 

How to Cook Tortillas

Once pressed, you remove the tortilla from the plastic, lay it down on a hot cast iron griddle or skillet for about 30 seconds until air pockets begin to form and is light toasted, and then flip.

If serving immediately, wrap the tortillas in a dish towel to keep them warm. Your freshly made tortillas can also be refrigerated and reheated at a later time. They can also be frozen for later use, making it a worthwhile endeavour to make a large batch!