Cake on a Hot Tin Roof (26 page)

Makes approximately 2 dozen

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons lard

1 ½ cups water

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Mix in the lard with your fingers until the flour resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 to 3 drops of oil. (Using more oil will make the tortillas greasy and cause smoking in the kitchen.) Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a thin, round tortilla. Place into the hot skillet, and cook until the exposed surface begins to bubble. Flip and continue cooking until golden on the other side.

Place the cooked tortilla in a tortilla warmer or between the folds of a clean kitchen towel to keep it moist until serving. Continue rolling and cooking the remaining dough.