Cybele Pascal

GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR TORTILLAS

If you’re looking for a great vegan Gluten-Free flour tortilla recipe, that doesn’t crack, with great wholesome flavor, then look no further! These also freeze really well, so make up a big batch, freeze the extra, and defrost on demand with 20 seconds in the microwave.

MAKES 4 8-INCH TORTILLAS

These whole grain Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas are nutritious, versatile, low fat, and fun to make.  Many of my readers were looking for an alternative to brown rice tortillas, which tend to crack and split.  Well, here you are, these are made with millet and sweet sorghum instead!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Gluten-Free Bread Flour Mix (recipe follows)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum*
• ¾ teaspoon double-acting baking powder**
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons rice milk
• 2 teaspoons canola oil

???

1. Measure out flour mix by spooning flour into a dry measuring cup, then leveling it off with a straightedge, or the back of a knife. (Do not scoop the flour directly with the measuring cup or you’ll wind up with too much flour for the recipe). Combine flour mix with xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt, whisking well.

2. Heat rice milk until warm (not hot).  Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients, pour in rice milk and canola oil, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough will be sticky.

3. Turn out dough onto a board or work surface, lightly floured with some Gluten-Free Bread Flour Mix.  Sprinkle a little more flour mix onto dough and onto your hands.

4. Knead the dough about 30 seconds, until smooth, and no longer sticky, then mold into a ball. Place ball into bowl, and cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel. Let rest 20 minutes. Remove dough from bowl, and cut into four pieces.  Roll into four balls.

5. Transfer balls to a dry plate, cover with damp towel and let rest another 10 minutes. Working with one ball at a time, sprinkle a little more flour mix on the work surface.  Using the palm of your hand, press ball into a disk about 4-inches in diameter.

6.  Sprinkle a little more flour mix on dough, flip and roll out into about a 9-inch circle with a floured rolling pin.  I usually like the heavy old-fashioned rolling pins, but for this recipe I prefer the lighter French dowels.

7.  Using an offset spatula, loosen dough from board all the way around, flip, and give it one more roll over. Don’t worry that it’s not a perfect circle. We’re about to fix that.  Place an 8-inch bowl over the tortilla, and trim the edges.

8. Remove bowl, and use the offset spatula to separate the tortilla from the board.

9. Transfer tortilla to a plate and cover with the damp towel while you roll out the rest. Repeat steps to roll out the remaining three, remembering to add more flour mix to your work surface and rolling pin.

10. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over high heat until starting to smoke. You want that puppy really hot.

11.  Add a tortilla, cook 30 seconds, flip with a spatula and cook 30 seconds more until there are a few brown spots on surface. Do not overcook, or the tortillas will become brittle. Transfer to a plate, and keep covered with a dry cloth while you finish cooking the rest.  Eat warm or at room temperature.  To store any that don’t get eaten right away, wait until cool, then seal in a zip lock freezer bag, and place in freezer

*You may use guar gum in place of xanthan gum if you are concerned about corn derivatives.

**Hain Featheweight Baking Powder is corn-free, and can be used in place of double-acting baking powder. See here for more information.

Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas Copyright © 2010 by Cybele Pascal

GLUTEN-FREE BREAD FLOUR MIX

MAKES 6 CUPS

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups millet flour
• 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
• 2 cups tapioca starch
• 1 cup potato starch

1. Measure out flour by spooning flour into a dry measuring cup, then leveling it off with a straightedge, or the back of a knife. (Do not scoop the flour directly with the measuring cup or you’ll wind up with too much flour). Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake until well blended. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

“Gluten-Free Bread Flour Mix” recipe reprinted with permission from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook: How to Bake Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, and Sesame. Copyright © 2009 by Cybele Pascal, Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.

(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them.  Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)

SAFETY NOTE:  Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions.  If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns BEFORE consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.