Pressing Tortillas

Making tortillas is a tradition that dates back to the Aztecs.

After the masa dough was made, it was patted by hand into thin discs.

These days, hand-pressing is still practiced by some cooks, but most people use a tortilla press.

The best and most common press is about 7 inches in diameter and made of heavy cast iron with a silver finish.

Lightweight presses made of aluminum are not as good because they may not remain stable as you work.

In my experience, rustic wooden presses can be difficult to use, although they are beautiful to display.

Tortilla presses are sold in Mexican or Latin-American markets and some cookware stores in the United States.

Always line the plates of the press with plastic before pressing tortillas, or the dough will stick to the metal surface.

After using it, clean the press with a damp sponge or cloth and dry well to prevent rusting.

In a pinch, it is possible to press tortillas without specialized equipment by placing the dough between pieces of plastic, then putting a completely flat object on top, and pressing firmly and evenly to form the tortilla.