Step 1

Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, briefly whisk together masa harina and salt.  Gradually add 1 1/2 cups hot water, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until an evenly-mixed dough begins to form.  Use your hands to knead the dough for 2-3 minutes in the mixing bowl until it is smooth and forms a cohesive ball.  The dough’s texture should feel springy and firm, similar to Play-Doh.  If the dough feels too wet and is sticking to your hands, add in a few extra tablespoons of flour.  If it feels too dry and crackly, add in an extra tablespoon or two of hot water.

Step 2

Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel (or paper towel) and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Portion the dough. Use a spoon or a medium ice cream scoop to portion the dough into a 2-tablespoon ball (35-40 grams, or about the size of a golf ball), then use your hands to roll the ball until it is nice and round.

Step 4

Press the dough balls. Place the dough ball between two pieces of plastic in a tortilla press. (I use a ziplock bag; see notes below.)  Then gently press the dough ball until it forms a 4- to 5-inch tortilla.

Step 5

Cook the tortilla. Heat a non-stick skillet or comal over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is nice and hot, gently peel the tortilla away from the plastic wrap and lay the tortilla flat in the skillet.  Cook the tortilla for about 40-60 seconds per side, flipping it once speckled brown spots begin to appear on the bottom of the tortilla.  The tortillas will likely bubble up while cooking, especially on the second side, which is a good sign!  Once it is cooked, transfer the tortilla to a tortilla warmer or a bowl wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, so that the tortillas do not dry out.

Step 6

Repeat with the remaining tortillas. I recommend keeping the cycle going by cooking one tortilla while pressing the next dough ball at the same time.  If you notice that the skillet begins to seem too hot, just turn down the heat a bit.

Step 7

Serve. The tortillas will continue to soften a bit more as they sit in a stack in your tortilla warmer (or wrapped in a towel). So I recommend using the tortillas at the bottom of the stack first — they will be the softest.  Serve however you would like and enjoy! See storage instructions below.