Flour Tortillas — Made by hand, like every small bridge that holds a family together

Diego sent photographs from his latest project — a pedestrian bridge over a canal in a border community. The bridge is small — forty feet, concrete and steel — but the bridge connects two neighborhoods that were separated by water, and the connecting is Diego's life work, and the life work is the bridge, and the bridge is the family business in concrete form.

When Diego’s photos came through — that small concrete bridge connecting two neighborhoods across the water — I sat with them for a long time before I put my phone down and went to the kitchen. There is something in his work that reminds me of bread: quiet, structural, done with the hands, more important than it looks. Flour tortillas felt right that evening — not because they are dramatic, but because they are exactly the opposite, and sometimes that steadiness is the whole point.

Flour Tortillas

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 12 tortillas

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening (or neutral oil)
• 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)

Instructions

1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until evenly combined.
2. Cut in the fat. Add the lard or shortening to the flour mixture. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with no large pieces remaining.
3. Add water and knead. Pour in the warm water gradually, mixing with a fork or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
4. Rest the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes. This step is essential — it relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier.
5. Roll out the tortillas. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball into a thin round, about 8 inches in diameter. Work from the center outward, rotating the dough as you go.
6. Cook on a dry skillet. Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy griddle over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook each tortilla for 30–45 seconds per side, until light brown spots appear and the tortilla puffs slightly. Adjust heat as needed — the pan should be hot enough to cook quickly without burning.
7. Keep warm. Stack finished tortillas in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer as you go. They will stay soft and pliable as they rest together.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 175 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 150mg