1. Making Tortillas
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

2. Do you know what tortillas are
Do you know what tortillas are? They are flat, thin pancakes made from corn meal or flour. Tortillas are a basic food in the Mexican diet. They are still an important food for Mexican Americans in Kansas.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

3. In Mexico, tortillas are often made the same way they were long ago
In Mexico, tortillas are often made the same way they were long ago. Corn was ground between two stones to make corn meal. Some Mexican metates were similar to this grinding stone once used by North American Indians.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

4. Another type of stone found in Mexico is the mochete
Another type of stone found in Mexico is the mochete. It works the same way, but it is much smaller. A mochete is used to grind spices.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

5. The flour is mixed with water and kneaded.
People often use store bought flour or corn meal when they make tortillas in the United States today.
The flour is mixed with water and kneaded.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

6. Next, the dough is placed in a covered bowl and allowed to set for several minutes. After setting, the dough is kneaded again until it has a soft texture.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

7. The dough is now ready to be formed into pancakes
The dough is now ready to be formed into pancakes. Virginia Martinez, a member of the Topeka Mexican community, will show us how this is done by hand.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

8. Mrs. Martinez pats the dough…
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

9. as she turns it…
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

10. round and round…
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

11. in her hands…
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

12. slowly
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

13. creating
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

14. a pancake.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

15. She may sprinkle water on the dough to keep it soft while she is forming it into a pancake.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

16. Tortillas can also be shaped in a tortilla press.
Here Senora Valdivia shows us an old wooden tortilla press.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

17. She is opening the press to show us how the dough would be placed on a soft cloth in the press.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

18. Today you can buy smaller tortilla presses like this metal one
Today you can buy smaller tortilla presses like this metal one. It is open and ready for the round ball of dough to be placed inside.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

19. After the ball of dough is placed in the center of the press the lid is closed.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

20. Next the lever is pressed down
Next the lever is pressed down. This presses the bottom and lid of the tortilla press together and flattens the dough.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

21. When you open the press you find a tortilla, ready to be cooked!
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

22. Sometimes the tortilla sticks to the press
Sometimes the tortilla sticks to the press. To keep this from happening lay a damp cloth in the press before flattening the dough.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

23. After the dough is formed into a pancake it is ready to be cooked.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

24. Mrs. Martinez cooks her tortilla on a comal, a heavy flat round pan
Mrs. Martinez cooks her tortilla on a comal, a heavy flat round pan. If you don’t have a comal use a frying pan.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

25. When the tortilla is brown on one side, Mrs
When the tortilla is brown on one side, Mrs. Martinez flips it over to cook on the other side.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

26. She removes it from the comal with a spatula when it is completely cooked.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

27. These are the finished tortillas
These are the finished tortillas. The ones on the left were made with a tortilla press and are very thin. The ones on the right were made by hand and are thick.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

28. The hand-made tortillas are thick enough that you can split them as Mrs. Martinez shows us here.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society

29. You can then spread butter on the tortillas or put grated cheese or sandwich fixings on them.
The Mexican American Experience in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society