Wheat in a corn country
Most people associate Mexican food with corn, but a good share of the country, especially in the north, eats wheat tortillas daily. Flour tortillas are thin, flexible rounds made from wheat flour, fat, salt and water, cooked briefly on a hot griddle. They are common across northern states such as Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Baja California, and they are also well known in the borderlands of the United States.
They are not a replacement for corn but a regional tradition in their own right, shaped by climate, agriculture and history.
How wheat reached the north
Wheat arrived in the Americas with the Spanish, and it adapted well to cooler, drier land with irrigation and a long growing season. The northern plains and valleys of Mexico proved better suited to wheat than to corn in many places, and wheat farming took root alongside ranching. In many northern communities, wheat flour became the familiar everyday starch.
Historians discuss several contributing factors: the spread of Spanish settlers and missions, local wheat cultivation, access to flour mills, and the abundance of lard and, later, other fats from livestock. The exact moment when a flour tortilla first appeared is uncertain, and accounts differ. It is safest to say the form developed gradually over centuries rather than being created at a single point.
Regional forms
Flour tortillas are not one thing. Some northern kitchens make small, thick, soft rounds that suit tacos. In Sonora, very large and very thin tortillas, sometimes called sobaqueras, are made, stretched by hand into wide circles that can be larger than a dinner plate. Others fall in between.
Fillings reflect local ingredients. Dried or grilled beef, cheeses, beans and stews are typical partners, and northern cuisine is often described through its beef, cheese and flour tortillas. The thin dried beef often served with Sonoran tortillas is a famous example.
The dough
A classic flour tortilla dough contains four things: flour, fat, salt and warm water. Many cooks also add a little baking powder, particularly for softer, puffier tortillas. Traditional fat is lard, which gives tenderness and a savory flavor. Vegetable shortening or oil can be used instead, with a slightly different flavor and texture.
Ratios vary. As a general guide, the dough is stiffer than bread dough and softer than pie dough, with the fat rubbed into the flour first and the warm water added gradually until the dough comes together. Salt is added for flavor. Exact amounts depend on the flour, so add water in stages and trust the feel of the dough: it should be smooth, pliable and not sticky.
Resting and rolling
After kneading briefly, divide the dough into balls and let them rest, covered, for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten, which otherwise makes the dough spring back when rolled. A longer rest often makes thinner rolling easier.
Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface from the center outward, turning as you go, until it is thin and roughly round. Perfect circles are not required. Dust off excess flour before cooking, since it can burn on the griddle.
Cooking
Cook on a dry, hot comal or heavy skillet. A tortilla usually needs only a short time on each side: place it on the surface until it develops small bubbles, flip, and cook until light brown speckles appear. It should be done in a minute or two. If it takes much longer, the surface is probably too cool and the tortilla will dry out.
Stack finished tortillas inside a clean cloth to trap steam so that they stay soft. Take care with the hot surface and with steam when unwrapping the stack. A heavy comal or skillet works well.
Troubleshooting
- Stiff or cracker-like: too little fat, too much flour, or overcooked. Use more fat or less flour on the board and shorten cooking.
- Tough and elastic: dough was not rested enough, or was overworked.
- Pale and doughy: the griddle was too cool.
- Burnt spots with raw patches: the heat was too high or the tortilla was rolled unevenly.
- Not puffing: not essential, but baking powder and a hot surface help.
Storage
Flour tortillas keep soft for a day or so in a closed bag at room temperature and last longer in the refrigerator. Reheat briefly on a dry griddle. Because they contain fat and moisture, they can spoil, so discard any that smell off or show mold. Leftovers can be fried into crisp pieces much like corn tortillas.
Not instead of corn
Flour and corn tortillas tend to serve different purposes. Wheat tortillas are soft, mild and elastic, suited to large wraps and burritos in the borderlands, while corn tortillas have a more pronounced flavor and are traditional in many other regions. Both are authentic, and neither is a lesser relative of the other.