tortilla

A tortilla is a thin, round flatbread that is a staple in many cuisines of the Americas. It is traditionally made from masa, a dough of ground maize, but a variant using wheat flour is also common. Corn tortillas are central to Mexican and Central American cooking, while flour tortillas are widely used in Mexican-American and other cuisines.

Most traditional corn tortillas are made from masa harina or fresh masa, created through nixtamalization, a process in which maize is soaked and cooked in limewater and then hulled and ground. This treatment increases the availability of nutrients and gives the dough its distinctive flavor. The dough is divided, rolled, or pressed into discs and cooked briefly on a hot, flat griddle called a comal until pliable.

Flour tortillas are made from wheat flour, water, oil or lard, and sometimes baking powder, and they are rolled and cooked similarly. Tortillas are used to make tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and tostadas, or served as wraps. Regions differ in tortilla thickness and size; there are variations using blue or other colored corn, and tortillas may be soft or lightly toasted. For storage, corn tortillas can be kept refrigerated or frozen; masa harina allows home preparation, and commercially produced tortillas vary in softness and longevity.