So it looks like this is my fourth tortilla post on this blog, and my second paleo version.  🙂  Forgive me for not having a picture to put up — I was gonna, but life got crazy a couple days ago (long boring story I’ll spare you), so that didn’t happen and isn’t about to — but hey, you know what a tortilla looks like, basically.  These tortillas look like that.  😀

What makes this recipe better than the last one?  Well, locust bean gum instead of agar-agar powder makes the dough more cooperative and well-behaved (as does a lack of arrowroot powder), and cashew milk instead of coconut milk makes the tortillas taste much better — tortillas shouldn’t be sweet, and anything with coconut milk in it can’t help tasting a little sweet.

My sister and I made a double batch of these night before last and cooked and ate them all throughout yesterday.  She loved them.  They were yummy and filling, and my only complaint about them is that I couldn’t slather butter and honey on one for a quick dessert … but that’s on me not being able to have honey, I think the tortillas are pretty blameless there.  😛

Cashew-Milk Tortillas

Yield:  4 plate-sized (ish) tortillas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup paleo dough mix
• 1 cup tapioca starch (plus more for rolling)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp locust beam gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 T palm shortening (plus more for rolling)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup cashew milk (plus another tablespoon or so as needed to make the dough cohere)

Directions:

1.  In a medium-large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (paleo dough mix, tapioca starch, baking soda, locust bean gum, and salt).  Then, using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the palm shortening until mostly or fully integrated.

2.  Add the egg and cashew milk to the dry mixture, and use a fork to work it into the dough as much as possible.  Once that doesn’t get you anywhere, turn the mixture out onto the countertop and gently work it together with your hands.  Add a little extra cashew milk if there’s too much dry mix left.

3.  Divide the dough into four equal parts and set aside (covered if you like, but I haven’t had any problems with the dough drying out).  Get a full-size rolling pin and a square of wax paper, and rub a dollop of palm shortening over each of them, then dust each one generously with tapioca starch.

4.  Start a large, ungreased skillet heating to high heat.  Take one of the parts of dough and flatten it gently between your hands, then put it on the prepped wax paper and gently roll it out to less than 1/8″ thick with the prepped rolling pin.  Take your time; many smaller motions with the rolling pin are better than big bold ones; and if there’s a big bald spot with no more tapioca starch on your rolling pin, redust it or the dough’ll stick.

5.  Once the tortilla’s rolled out, gently turn the wax paper over onto a cutting board or other liftable surface, then (gently!) peel the wax paper up.  Then pick up the cutting board and use it to turn the tortilla into your hand; and then use your hand to flip it into the hot and waiting pan to cook.  It sounds complicated, but it’s really pretty straightforward and it works well.

6.  Cook the tortilla in the hot skillet between fifteen and thirty seconds on either side, flipping over with a spatula when the first side’s done.  It should “bubble” as the first side cooks just like a normal tortilla, sometimes impressively so!  The only thing is to make sure you don’t burn the tortillas; keep an eye on them as they cook, and turn the heat down a little if you need to.

7.  Roll and cook the next tortilla, or put the rest of the dough in the fridge for later!  (You shouldn’t need to re-grease the wax paper and rolling pin, though you will want to re-dust them for each tortilla.)  Make soft tacos or quesadillas or whatever else sounds good to you … I’m sure somebody out there can have that butter-and-honey tortilla on my behalf.  🙂