Flour Tortillas

2 cups white flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm water

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl combine the warm water and oil.

Add the water/oil mixture to the flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time and mix the dough with a fork. Once the water is mixed in, add another tablespoon of water and repeat the process until all the water is mixed into the dough. The dough will be sticky.

Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and knead the dough for 4-5 minutes. Add a dusting of flour when the dough gets sticky. Eventually the stickiness will go away and you will have a nice smooth dough.

Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp towel or damp paper towl. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into golf-ball size balls by pinching off the dough with your thumb and fore finger. Form each ball into a nice ball shape.

Place the balls on a flat dish making sure they don't touch each other and cover with the damp cloth. Let the dough rest again for 10 minutes.

Preheat a skillet or cast iron pan on medium high heat. Lightly dust your wooden cutting board with flour. Take one of the balls of dough and flatten it out on the cutting baord to a 4 inch circle. Rub flour on your rolling pin and begin to roll out the dough starting from the centre out. Roll the tortilla until it is 6 or 7 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.

It's difficult to roll out a perfectly round tortilla so if that is important to you, you can always trim the tortilla with a knife.

Place it in the preheated skillet. You don't need to add any oil or butter. Cook the tortilla for about 30 seconds. You will notice brown spots all over your tortilla. Flip it over and cook an additional 30 seconds. Don't over cook it as you want the tortilla to be nice and soft. Keep your tortillas warm by covering them in a towel on a plate or in a tortilla warmer.

Tortillas are best eaten hot right off the griddle, but you can refrigerate and freeze them too.

If you freeze the tortillas, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put them in a ziplock bag. When you are ready to use them, first thaw at room temperature and then wrap them in foil and place them in a 250 deg F over for about 10 to 15 minutes. Microwaving tends to toughen them.