Tortillas

3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4-6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or lard
about 1 1/4 cups warm water

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add vegetable shortening or lard. Or use a combination of half
lard, half shortening. Use a fork or a pastry cutter to cut in
the shortening or just do it the old fashioned way and use your
hands.

Next add warm water a little at a time until your dough is soft
and not sticky. You do not need very hot water.

Knead the dough for a few minutes.

Now you will pull off pieces of dough to form about 12 small
dough balls. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes, longer if
you like.

This is a good time to heat up the comal. You will want to set
it at medium to high heat. If it is too hot the tortillas will
cook too fast.

Now you can roll out the dough with your tortilla rolling pin or
palote. It is a good idea to dust each ball with a little flour
just before you roll them out. Lay the palote in the center of
the dough ball and roll up, center and roll down. It is good to
lift the dough and turn it. Again, rolling pin in the center
and roll. Roll them out fairly thin.

Lay your tortilla on the hot comal.
It takes just a few seconds to cook.
Flip to the other side.
When they are done it should have lots of nice brown speckles.
Place them in a towel.