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Spelt Tortillas

Spelt Tortillas - Quirky Cooking

Once you’ve eaten homemade tortillas, you won’t want the bought ones! We have them quite often, especially when I haven’t had time to make bread, and suddenly it’s lunch time and everyone’s starving! They are quick to make – you can make enough for six people in twenty minutes once you get the hang of rolling out the dough. If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll be practically grabbing them out of the pan as they cook! 

Note: You can find Fine sea salt for this recipe in my online store here!

Makes approx. 20 tortillas

1. Mix together in food processor or Thermomix until blended:
300g (2 cups) unbleached white spelt flour, plus extra for rolling out (if you use wholemeal they’ll be crumbly – up to a third wholemeal is ok though)
– 1 tsp fine sea salt
– 2 tsp baking powder (optional, but I think they’re nicer with)

2. Add and process until completely mixed:
– 2 Tablespoons olive oil

3. With Thermomix running on speed 6, add water in a slow stream, until dough forms a soft, sticky ball. Let it process for about 5 seconds more.
– approx. 1/2 cup water (may need more or less, depending on type of flour and humidity)

Spelt Tortillas - Quirky Cooking4. Poke dough with your finger – it shouldn’t be overly sticky, but it should be nice and soft and stretchy (see picture) – if it’s too bouncy, the tortillas will be thick and tough. (And if it’s too sticky they’ll be hard to roll.) Add more flour or water if you need to.
 
5. Heat up your pan – you can use an electric frypan, or a large iron skillet. It needs to be quite hot – start with high heat and turn down if you need to. Don’t put any oil in the pan.  

6. While the pan’s heating up, sprinkle some flour onto a silicon baking mat (or the counter-top) and pinch off a ball of dough, about 1 inch or so in diameter. Squish it into the flour, coating both sides, then roll out with rolling pin, flipping it over back and forth to keep it from sticking. (You’ll use quite a bit of flour for rolling them out.) Don’t worry if they’re not pretty circles – rectangles are fine, all tastes the same. Roll it as thin as you can.

 
 

Spelt Tortillas - Quirky Cooking
Spelt Tortillas - Quirky Cooking

7. Dust it off a little if it’s too floury, carefully peel off silicon mat, and place in hot, dry pan. While it starts to cook, begin the next one, reflouring the mat first… but keep an eye on the pan, turning the tortilla over once it starts to bubble. It should have little brown spots on it. It only takes a few seconds per side – if the heat’s too low, they’ll be hard and crunchy, so cook them hot and quick for nice soft ones. (I use a wooden spatula to turn them over, or just grab the edge with my fingers and flip them over.)

 

Spelt Tortillas - Quirky Cooking
8. As the tortillas cook, put them on a dinner plate inside a tea towel, covering after you put each one in. This keeps them soft and warm until you’re ready to eat. (That is, if the kids don’t eat them all as you make them!)

9. Spread with butter/dairy-free cream cheese/mayo/avocado, add fillings, roll up and enjoy!

If there are any left over, store them in a plastic bag in the freezer – they heat up good as new. 

Tips for soft tortillas!

– When you make the dough, it should be stretchy and a little bit sticky; if it’s not, add a little more water. (See photo)

– When rolling them out, roll as thin as possible – almost paper thin! (See photo)

– Cook quickly on high heat – as soon as you get a few brown spots on one side, turn it over and cook the other side, as quick as you can. If it’s easier, get someone to help you by cooking them while you roll them, until you get quicker at it.

– Place them in the tea towel to keep warm, then wrap the whole tea towel filled with tortillas in a plastic bag and tie it up tight so air can’t get in. The steam in there will keep them soft.

– If freezing for another day, freeze in an airtight plastic bag, or two (double bagged) – thaw (or rewarm) either wrapped in foil, or you can even put them in the varoma in the foil packet and steam them to warm them. I thaw first then rewarm.

Here’s a quick Youtube clip showing how to cook them… (Sorry about all the background noise – it’s never quiet here! Or completely tidy… lol!)

 

Filling ideas – mix and match:
refried beans
mexican beans
beef or chicken fajitas
mexican rice/quinoa
spicy lentils (use this recipe, add Mexican spices & chilli)
grated cheese/mozarella
chopped tomatos
avocado/guacamole

dairy-free cream cheese
sour cream or dairy free sour cream
roast lamb & toum  

homemade mayonnaise
shredded lettuce
thinly sliced red onion
shallots
sauteed onion and capsicum (pepper) strips
grated carrot
bbq chicken shredded and mixed with salsa sauce
beef cooked in crockpot, then shredded and mixed with salsa sauce
leftovers!

35 thoughts on “Spelt Tortillas

  1. Frogdancer says:

    I’ve got some crockpot refried beans cooking at the moment, thinking I’d have to got to the supermarket to get some tortillas. Now I think I’ll have a play with these instead!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Can’t wait to try these and your other spelt recipes out, Jo. Am a TM newbie and fairly new to spelt as DS has wheat intolerance’s. Thanks for sharing :o)

  3. Anonymous says:

    To make these, do I have to use a food processor or can I just knead the dough with my hands? It seems like a great recipe!

  4. Anonymous says:

    We’re two college students trying to stick to a blood-type O diet and this recipe saved our lives! Thank you so much for posting it! We are very inspired by your quirky cooking and can’t wait to try more recipes!

  5. Anonymous says:

    Thanks Jo, have been meaning to let you know that these are a regular staple in our house now – so quick and versatile. Another winner!!!
    Tam 🙂

  6. Darls says:

    Hey thanks for this – it went well with my family!

    I used plain flour (200g) and rye flour (100g) and it worked ok. Probably would do better with spelt but ran out of it last nite!

    Thanks again!

  7. Jodi says:

    Hi Jo

    Can these be stored or frozen? My son is tortilla mad but I am avoiding the store bought ones as they are full of preservative 282 and he has ADHD.

  8. Mara93 says:

    Hi!

    I was just wondering if I was to make chocolate tortillas (and use fruit and cream/chocolate sauce as the filling) would I simply just use a spelt/coconut flour/cocao powder mixture? Do you think I’d need to add a little sweetener as well?

    I’m new to all this cooking stuff (lol) so I just need some advice?

  9. Kendy says:

    Great recipe idea 🙂

    Just wondering roughly how many this batch makes?

    Would normal bakers flour work for these?
    I don’t have any spelt flour at the moment.

  10. kyannha says:

    I made these tonight and ended up using them as nacho chips lol. I’m thinking they were either too thin or I used too much wholemeal spelt? Any suggestions

  11. Tricia says:

    Just a note about the gluten in Spelt: Spelt flour is an ancient grain that hasn’t been changed and hybridized over the years (like modern-day wheat). The gluten in Spelt is MUCH easier to digest! I cannot eat any wheat products, but have no issues with Spelt flour, and use it in everything that calls for white or wheat flour. I LOVE tortillas made with Spelt, but would like to know how to keep them fresh longer. Mine tend to dry out after three days, making them difficult to use as a ‘wrap’. I have found, however, that you can turn leftover tortillas into crackers — brush lightly with butter, sprinkle generously with sea salt, cut into whatever shapes you want, and bake at 350 until lightly browned and crisp. Store in an air-tight container. Yum!

  12. Jo Whitton says:

    Naomi, spelt is an ancient form of wheat which is easier to digest. You can buy the flour at Woolies or Coles, health food shops, IGA – it’s pretty common here in Australia now 🙂

  13. Gilli Appleby says:

    Thank you thank you! These got the thumbs up from my little man this afternoon – wearesetfor school lunches later this week – oh joy!

  14. Anna says:

    Made these tonight for the toddlers, and now for husband and I – amazing…easy and worked perfectly. I thought I had overwatered and they got a bit sticky, however after an unscheduled need to bath my baby mid cooking (!) I wrapped and rested the dough rest for about 20 mins and came back and it was perfect. These are so much better than any I have bought and they are pliable – why so so many of the store bought GF wraps crack (not that I care anymore as I won’t be buying!)

  15. Jo Whitton says:

    Yay Gilli!

    Anna, are you ok with gluten? As spelt still has gluten, it’s just easier to digest because it’s not hybridised and refined like wheat flour, and is grown organically. Glad you liked them!

  16. Courtney says:

    Has anyone had any luck with a replacement to make these gluten free? I still struggle with Spelt too, but would love to make these!

  17. Danielle says:

    Jo can you freeze the tortillas uncooked? I was thinking of making these but cooking half and freezing the rest. Or do you think it’s best to cook them all then freeze leftovers?

  18. Shell says:

    I don’t have a thermomix, but do have a food processor. Would the processing time of 5 seconds be different? My daughter loves wraps and I’d love to make these for her.

  19. Andrea says:

    These worked great with normal flour. The best I’ve ever made actually, they stayed nice and fluffy. We’re great in our enchiladas even for leftovers.

  20. Kate says:

    I just can’t seem to get these right! First time worked ok but next two times total failure. Onev lot was hard & crunchy, the next just tough & gross. Same recipe & did really hot pan.

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