Heat the comal on medium high, spraying lightly with cooking oil if desired. Place the uncooked, flattened tortilla onto the comal and cook for about 45 seconds. Using your hands, lightly flip the tortilla and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Then, flip a final time and cook for about 20 seconds longer. Cover with the other plastic sheet and then place over a heavy baking dish pressing firmly to shape a 6-inch (15cm) round blue tortilla.

You can also smash out the balls of dough using a heavy skillet or pie plate, just make sure to cover your work surface and the bottom of the skillet or pie dish with plastic wrap just like the tortilla press.

Ingredients

quart size freezer bag. If you don’t have a freezer plastic bag, parchment paper, wax paper, or a piece of plastic wrap will work too, the bag is just easier to use. Let that dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes by covering the bowl with a damp kitchen towel so it doesn't dry out. Heat an ungreased heavy-based frying pan. Cook the tortillas, one or two at a time, until they change colour and start to puff up slightly; this will take about 2 minutes. Flip them over and repeat on the other side. Keep the tortillas warm. In Mexico, they have been consumed since Prehispanic times. You can find them as tortillas de maíz azul and are popular in southern and central states such as Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Tabasco, to name a few. Place the tortillas in your tortilla warmer until ready to eat. Why Did My Tortillas Turn Purple/Pink?

You simply cannot beat fresh corn tortillas. In Mexico they are delivered each morning like a milk-man. Slowly add the hot water and use your hands to mix the dough until it is soft, hydrated, and pliable. If it still feels dry, add more water, about a 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Water: Use room temperature water, if you use warm water or hot water the masa will slightly cook and change in texture. I like cooking my tortillas on a comal, which is a smooth, flat griddle. This is absolutely optional, but I will say that they are very accessible and inexpensive. Admittedly, my comal is not made of traditional materials. A skillet works for tortilla making as well, you just want to ensure that you have enough room to flip the tortilla. I like to spray my comal with a little cooking oil. This is completely optional. What Do Blue Corn Tortillas Taste Like?

You'll find tons of seasonal recipes, multicultural comfort foods, a little history, and a whole lot of deliciousness all inspired by the people I love. Use your hands to roll out about 16 individual balls of dough. I use a kitchen scale to ensure that my tortillas are of equal size, but this is not necessary – you can just eyeball it. My entire dough mixture this go around weighed about 494 grams, so I measure out 16 small balls that each weighed between 30-31 grams. Due to the great popularity of this type of grain these days and its low production, some people paint the white masa dough with colorants to simulate a blue tortilla. Other more recent iterations include chips made from bean and legume flours. All of these will be higher in protein and are, therefore, a good option for those looking to up their intake. Legumes are rich in fibre as well. Again, the texture will be different, as these are known to be a little grainy, but they can be really delicious and healthier, too. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the kosher salt and masa harina to evenly disperse the salt through the flour.

You can make this dough in advance and store it, wrapped in cling film, in the fridge for a few days.

From the book: Rick Stein: The Road to Mexico

Tortillas are traditionally made from corn, not wheat. Wheat was not grown in the Americas before Europeans arrived and wheat flour tortillas barely existed in Mexico and Central American until the 1970’s. Corn tortillas are made using a process called nixtamalization which involves curing maize in limewater. In a medium bowl add masa harina and start adding water while mixing with your hands until combined.