Sometimes the simplest of foods are the most delicious. Soft tortillas, warm from the skillet and drizzled with honey, certainly fall into that category for me. They take just a few minutes of labor and are delicious with just about any filing: simple black beans and avocado, natural peanut butter and bananas, roasted vegetables, a simple swipe of butter and sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.

I’ve always loved fresh tortillas, which are infinitely better than ones from the store (at least when it comes to eating them plain; for making wraps, there are some advantages to the large, burrito-style ones you can buy). My taste for homemade tortillas is decades deep, as I had the chance to sample many at restaurants when I was younger. I grew up in New Mexico, so I was lucky to experience a wonderful culinary sub-culture in my childhood. New Mexican food is different from Tex-Mex and Mexican food, but it is just original, with roots that go back centuries. I’m not an historian, but as I understand it, it’s a fusion of the foods the Spaniards brought with them to the area and the dishes prepared by the indigenous Native American tribes (including the Navajos). However, there are many similarities to the cuisine south of New Mexico’s border, including both corn and flour tortillas.

Flour tortillas often have a lot of additives and suspicious looking fats when bought in a package, so I’ve been trying to find a good recipe for years. I’ve made several good all-white versions, but had zero success with whole wheat. (Think thin, crispy, holes in the middle, dried out). I can’t take credit for this recipe—it’s a  modification of an all-white version that a friend gave to me—but it’s delicious, and I wanted to post it before my next post, which gives you a great filling idea. (The original all-white flour recipe can be found at EatItUpfood.blogspot.com.)

I’ve found that you can make these ahead for some recipes, like enchiladas, or something else baked, but if you’re eating them burrito-style, it’s best to make them directly before serving.

Special Diets and Allergies: dairy-free and vegan if you use a non-dairy milk; vegetarian; nut free.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

Makes 10 tortillas

These soft rounds of bread are thick and chewy. Pair them with a simple bean filling and a green salad for a quick dinner, or drizzle with warm honey for a great snack. Eat them as quick as you can—they’re best straight off the skillet. You can use a non-dairy milk here, but make sure it’s unsweetened. (I used unsweetened Almond Breeze plain almond milk.) If you’re having a hard time getting the tortillas to stretch and roll out, use less, or no, flour. Getting them to stick just a tad to the counter will enable you to get a nice, thin circle.

Ingredients:

2 C plus 2 T whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 t olive oil
3/4 C warm milk

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
2. Add the oil to the warm milk, then pour into the dry ingredients. Stir and then knead on a floured surface until the dough comes together in a soft but firm ball that is no longer sticky to the touch.
3. Grease a bowl and place the ball of dough inside, covering with a damp cloth. Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
4. Heat a skillet or, preferably, an electric griddle (like the type you would use for pancakes) on high.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl. Divide it into 10 sections, then place on a lightly floured surface and cover with a damp towel. Allow to rest another 10 minutes.
6. Roll the tortillas out into circles, about 8″ in diameter. Keep any of the tortillas that are waiting to be cooked covered. Cook each tortilla for about one minute or until tiny bubbles appear, flip, then cook another minute, or until both sides are light brown, but not crispy, with a few dark brown bubble marks. As soon as you remove a tortilla from the griddle, place it under a cloth to keep warm.
7. Serve immediately.