I’m one of those people that likes to make everything from scratch, like homemade mayonnaise, I learned to make in culinary school.  I love to make homemade bbq sauce, mustard, tomato sauce, you name it.  If it can be homemade I want to do it!  And so it is with these tortillas from one of my favorite Plant Based Chefs, Chad Sarno.  I found it in his epic book:  The Wicked Healthy Cookbook! 

• 1 cup Masa Harina (Gold Mine or Maseca brand)
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup raw hemp hearts
• 1 cup warm water 
• 1 tsp. oil 
  
  

1- Place masa harina, hemp hearts, which makes the taco more pliable and salt in a mixing bowl, and mix together with your hands.  

2- Drizzle in ¼ cup warm water (which hydrates the dough faster than cold water)mixing well with your hands.  Drizzle in another ¼ cup of warm water and continue to combine. The dough is ready when it feels soft and a little grainy like Play-doh. My dough came together using only ½ cup of water..  Yours may take less or more depending on the flour and humidity.  So keep adding water if needed, but check after the 2nd ¼ cup addition.  When you roll the finished dough between your palms, you should see a slight speckle of masa grains on your skin. 

3- Gather the dough into a ball and place in a zipper-lock bag.  Let rest for 15-20 minutes to hydrate the masa.  You can also refrigerate the dough for a few days. 

4- When you’re ready to cook some tortillas, heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add a tsp oil and spread it over the bottom of the pan with a paper towel. 

5- Get a new gallon-size zipper-lock bag and cut out the zipper top.  Cut down the two opposite sides, so you are left with a folded piece of plastic with a crease.  This is your nonstick surface for pressing tortillas.

6- Roll the dough into balls the size of Ping-Pong balls, about 1-½ inches in diameter.  Place a ball on one half of the plastic, cover with the other half and flatten slightly with your palm.  Place on a tortilla press, and press gently to ⅛” thick.  Otherwise, roll out the dough between the plastic sheets turning to make a thin ⅛” round piece.

7- Repeat with the remaining balls.

8- Gently peel off plastic and place the tortillas on the hot pan, and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute – until the edges look slightly dry and splintered with teeny cracks.  Use a spatula to flip the tortilla and cook for 20 seconds more.  Continue to flip and let cook for 20 seconds or so on each side to get a little bit of color on your tortillas. 

9- Transfer the tortilla to a clean kitchen towel and cover to allow the tortillas to steam and soften for 10 minutes or so. This will make them pliable.

10- Use immediately or keep covered at room temperature for a few hours until ready to use