Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Flour Tortillas

 Cookbook author Dotty Griffith stops by Good Day to make homemade tortillas. These sweet potato or pumpkin tortillas are just one of the many variations from her latest cookbook, "The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook."

Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Flour Tortillas

Makes 12 (6-inch [15 cm]) tortillas

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose white flour, (240 g) unbleached flour, or (240 g) finely ground whole wheat flour (or a combination thereof)
3 teaspoons (14 g) baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
½ cup (103 g) lard or vegetable shortening or ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable, corn,  or olive (or desired) oil, or (75 g) solid coconut oil
¾ cup (246 g) mashed sweet potato (canned or fresh) or (184 g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
½ cup (120 ml) hot water, plus additional as needed

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Using a pastry blender, fork, or two knives, mix in the lard or shortening until the flour looks like coarse crumbs.

Gradually add the sweet potato or pumpkin and hot water, stirring with a wooden spoon, to form a ball of dough. 

To make the dough using a food processor outfitted with a blade, combine the dry ingredients in the work bowl. Add the lard, pulsing to combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If the mixture appears too dry, incorporate additional shortening or lard as needed. Gradually add the sweet potato or pumpkin and water, pulsing to form a ball of dough. 

Once the dough is formed, lightly knead the dough in the bowl 30 times or as needed to form pliable, not sticky dough. Or remove the dough from the food processor work bowl and knead on a lightly floured board as above. If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour as needed. 

Place the kneaded dough in a bowl or on a pastry board. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour. This is a good stopping place if you want to serve fresh tortillas later. The dough can rest up to 4 to 6 hours if it is tightly covered with a layer of plastic wrap and a towel to prevent drying out. Do not refrigerate. 

Pinch off pieces and shape the dough into 12 even-sized balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest another 20 to 30 minutes.

When it is time to finish the tortillas, roll each ball of dough until very thin (no thicker than the hardcover of a book, thinner if you can) using a rolling pin. Drape over the sides of a bowl and keep covered with a towel while rolling out each tortilla.

Cook on hot a comal or griddle. Or press and toast using an electric tortilla press/toaster. 

Keep warm until all the dough is used.

LINK: www.quartoknows.com/books/9780760354889/The-Ultimate-Tortilla-Press-Cookbook.html