All measurements are appox. they will vary slightly with humidity, gluten content of flour etc. Shortening will produce the same wonderful tort texture as lard and without the saturated fats. For those who aren't concerned about saturated fats or "the thought" of lard you'll get the traditional flavor using it.

Mix the Fluor and salt in bowl. Take your fingers and rub the lard or shortening into the flour until is thoroughly mixed. (You can also cut it in with a pastry knife but using your fingers is easy. ) Add the water gradually and stir until you have a soft dough. Knead it for about 3 minutes. When it is "just right" the dough will have a smooth texture. Don't over knead it. Divide the dough into about 12 equal size balls. Coat with a very thin coating of melted lard, shortening, or vegetable oil. Place in a bowl and cover with a slightly damp clean towel. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes to 2 hours. Heat a heavy skillet to medium to medium hot. (You'll have to experiment and make a notes of the correct setting for your stove/pan combination.) Flatten the dough balls on a lightly floured flat surface and shape into tortillas one at a time. Use a rolling pin, tall water glass, or thick dowel to roll out the torts. It takes practice to make nice round torts, but you'll get better with time. Place the torts in the skillet one at a time. When little bubbles form its time to flip them over and cook on the other side until slightly brown.

Note: After you've done this a few times you'll get the feeling for it. If the dough seems rubbery and does not roll easily, let it rest a little longer.

From: Chile Head Mailing List
Posted By: Phil Cody", wpcody@mindspring.com
Post Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999