Corn Tortillas

Steps

1. 1Rinse the corn under cool water, drain, and set aside.
2. 2Place the water and lime in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart, non-reactive stockpot set over medium-low heat and stir to combine. Add the corn and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Make sure that it takes at least 30 minutes to come to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat, cover, and allow to sit at room temperature overnight. Do not refrigerate.
3. 3Drain the corn in a large colander and rinse under lukewarm water for 5 to 6 minutes while rubbing the corn kernels between your fingers in order to remove the outer coating.
4. 4Place the corn into a large bowl, cover with lukewarm water, and allow to soak for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and repeat. Use immediately to make masa dough for tortillas.
5. 5Place the nixtamal into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 to 15 times. Add 2 tablespoons of the water and pulse 10 times, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add 2 more tablespoons water along with the salt and pulse until a dough begins to form. If the dough is still dry and somewhat crumbly, add the remaining tablespoon of water and pulse several times. Turn the dough out onto the counter and shape into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and allow to sit for 30 minutes to hydrate.
6. 6Heat a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat until it reaches 400ºF on an infrared thermometer.
7. 7Divide the dough into 1 1/2-ounce portions, roll into balls, and cover with a damp tea towel.
8. 8Cut a 1-gallon zip-top bag in half and line the base of a tortilla press with the plastic.
9. 9Place one ball at a time onto the press and top with the other half of the plastic. Close the press and push down firmly several times until the tortilla is flattened. Remove the plastic wrap from the tortilla, place on the cast-iron griddle, and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove the tortilla to a plate lined with a tea towel. Cover the tortilla with a second towel to keep warm.
10. 10Repeat with all of the dough. Use immediately or store in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.