Step 1

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the lard using your fingers or a pastry blender until fully incorporated, making a slightly crumbly mixture. Add warm water and combine until a dough forms. Knead the dough on the counter-top until it’s no longer sticky, which will take a couple minutes.

Step 2

Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rest for at least 20 minutes, although a bit longer is fine as well. Pinch off ping pong-sized balls, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest another 10 minutes. If you prefer larger tortillas, make them slightly larger than ping pong balls.

Step 3

Preheat a heavy, dry skillet (such as cast iron) over medium/medium-high heat.

Step 4

Using a rolling pin, plastic wrap-lined tortilla press, or a combination of the two (I used a tortilla press first, then rolled them out a bit thinner with a rolling pin), roll out a tortilla until very thin. Your goal is some sort of circle shape, although don’t try to get them perfect.

Step 5

Once skilled is hot, add the tortilla and cook until browned, approximately 30-45 seconds. Flip and brown other side as well.

Step 6

You may have to adjust heat of skillet as you go (I did). Too hot and the tortilla will brown too quickly. Not hot enough and it won’t brown properly. The goal is to hear a faint sizzle as the tortilla hits the pan.

Step 7

As this tortilla is in the skillet cooking, roll out the next tortilla. Repeat process until all tortillas are rolled out and browned.

Step 8

Keep finished tortillas stacked on top of one another as they come out of the skillet, wrapped in a large kitchen towel. This will keep them nice and warm. Once all tortillas are cooked, serve immediately.

Step 9

Alternatively, let cool and refrigerate in a sealed ziploc bag. Reheat tortillas wrapped in a slightly damp towel on 50% power in microwave until completely warmed through, or wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F oven. You can also reheat them individually using that same dry, heavy skillet.