Making Spelt Tortillas

I thought I'd post a tortilla recipe here, as some may be interested in a non-wheat version...
I always make my own tortillas - the bought ones are so tough, and full of additives and preservatives usually too.

We eat these a lot for lunch, or for breakfast filled with scrambled eggs. They're so quick to make - the first one's ready in minutes. Okay here we go.

1. Mix together for 5 secs, speed 6:
- 300g Spelt flour (I use plain unbleached Spelt flour mixed with up to a third freshly ground Spelt. If you use more than half wholemeal, they will be a bit crumbly.)
- 1 t sea salt
- 2 t baking powder (optional, but I think they're nicer with)
- 2 Tablespoons butter.


2. With your mix master (Thermomix) running on speed 6, add water in a slow stream, until dough forms a soft ball. Let it process on speed 6 for about 5 seconds more. (It will bang around and get nice and stretchy.)
- approx. 1/2 cup water (may need more or less, depending on type of flour)



3. Poke dough with your finger - it shouldn't be overly sticky, but it should be nice and soft and stretchy (see picture) - if it's too hard, the tortillas will be thick and tough. (And if it's too sticky they'll be hard to roll.) Add more flour or water if you need to.




4. Heat up your pan - you can use an electric fry-pan, or a large iron skillet or non-stick fry-pan. It needs to be quite hot - between hot and medium hot.
After you've cooked one you'll know whether it needs to be turned up or down. Don't put any oil in the pan.


5. While the pan's heating up, pinch off a ball of dough, about 1 inch or so in diameter. Squish it into the flour, coating both sides, then roll out on floured bread mat with rolling pin, flipping it over back and forth to keep it from sticking. (You'll use quite a bit of flour for rolling them out.) Don't worry if they're not pretty circles - rectangles are fine, all tastes the same. Roll it as thin as you can, only a couple of millimetres thick.



6. Dust it off a little if it's too floury, and place in hot, dry pan. While it starts to cook, begin the next one, re-flouring the mat first... but keep an eye on the pan, turning the tortilla over once it starts to bubble. It should have little brown spots on it. It only takes a few seconds per side - if the heat's too low, they'll be hard and crunchy, so cook them hot and quick for nice soft ones. (I use a wooden spatula to turn them over, or just grab the edge with my fingers and flip them over.)

7. As the tortillas cook, put them on a dinner plate inside a plastic bag, and close it up after you put each one in. This keeps them soft and warm until you're ready to eat.

8. Spread with butter/dairy-free cream cheese/mayo/avocado, add fillings, roll up and enjoy!




Some types of fillings:

- Re fried beans

- Mexican beans

- Grated cheese/mozzarella

- Chopped tomatoes

- Avocado/guacamole

- Dairy-free cream cheese (Philli)

- Sour cream (if you can have it)

- Homemade mayonnaise

- Shredded lettuce

- Thinly sliced red onion

- Shallots sauteed onion and capsicum (pepper) strips

- Grated carrot

- BBQ chicken shredded and mixed with salsa sauce

- Beef cooked in crock pot, then shredded and mixed with salsa sauce

- Marinated beef or chicken strips (fajita style)

- Mexican rice/quinoa

- Spicy lentils; and

- Just good old leftovers! You Choose!!