A thin bread made from finely ground wheat flour, originally derived from the corn tortilla, the tortilla is a staple food in Spain. Literally, it means small cake and is commonly prepared with meat to make a variety of dishes. In appearance it is very similar to the Indian Chapati. Tortillas can be made from both corn flour as well as wheat flour.
Usage
Tortillas are used to prepare a variety of Mexican recipes such as tacos, burritos, chalupas, quesadillas, tortilla chips, tortilla soup, baleadas and enchiladas. Tortilla art is the use of tortillas as a substrate for painting. The tortillas are baked and then covered in acrylic before painting. Tortilla chips which are made from maize tortillas are cut into wedges and then fried. Flour tortillas are also used to make sandwiches, stews, casseroles and hot dogs.
Types
Maize tortilla: Thicker and heartier, the corn tortilla is the traditionally way or preparation.
Wheat flour tortilla: More firm, bigger and thinner, they are the norm everywhere where Spanish food is copied and are used to make burritos.
Nutritional Value
Tortillas have low fat content. The corn tortillas have a lower content of calories as compared to the wheat tortilla.
Did you know?
The first tortilla dates back to 10,000 BC.