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Growing up my parents made fresh bread once a week. It was rustic, hard crusted on the outside, soft, airy and fragrant on the inside. One of my favorite things in the world was to cut a thick slice when it was still warm from the oven, smear it with butter and savor every bite…while beating my brothers to the end piece.

Years later I was to repeat that tradition in my restaurant where we made fresh bread every day and had to restrict how many loaves customers could purchase so we would have enough to offer to our diners. My staff and I would make a meal of dipping the bread into a dish of olive oil infused with garlic, herbs and kalamata olives.

I’m a bread addict. I admit it but in my recovery for loving pasta, pizza, bread and other baked goods a little too much, I’ve kept my intake to a minimum…most of the time. So when I do eat those things, they’ve got to be good. I’ve tried GF bread and most are just not worth consuming. I’d rather just skip it all together. Store bought bread, especially ciabatta, can be delicious but I just can’t justify all the preservatives that go into it.

I’m back to baking bread again so I can have the real thing and know exactly what’s in it. Is this like an alcoholic becoming a bartender? However, I’ve made a tiny adjustment. I don’t bake the bread of my youth, nor the bread of my restaurant. I bake tortillas!

My Italian ancestors may be screaming at me but luckily, I can’t hear them.

Fresh baked tortillas are totally different than store bought and they fit my reduced bread regiment perfectly. I’ll bake no more than two or three and they’re just enough to satisfy my craving for a little bread with my salad or eggs or soup and of course wrap sandwich.

Try this easy recipe and you’ll be hooked on a good thing.

 

3/4 cups organic white flour

3/4 cups organic sprouted spelt flour (or whole wheat flour)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

Instructions

Add flour, butter and salt to the bowl of a food processor (or cut the butter into the flour with your hands) and blend until the butter is incorporated and the flour is crumbly.

Slowly add the water and mix until the flour forms a ball. Remove and place onto a lightly floured board and knead (adding a bit more flour if too sticky) by rolling it under your hands with a pulling away and folding over motion. Do this several times until the dough is relatively smooth.

Let it rest under a bowl or covered with a cloth for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 pieces (or more if you want smaller tortillas) and roll into 10″ rounds.

 

Heat a flat bottomed pan over med/high heat and place one tortilla at a time into the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds to one minute on each side and flip. You’ll know it’s time to flip because the dough will begin to bubble. If it takes longer, increase the heat. If they burn, decrease the heat.

Store in a covered dish or in a zip lock bag (when cooled).

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Tell me are you having a problem finding healthy bread that’s also delicious?

What kinds of bread do you eat? Or, do you avoid bread altogether?

4 Comments
  1. Rebecca Cherry October 25, 2013 at 8:14 am - Reply

    I LOVE tortillas, thanks Silvia for sharing!

  2. Val October 25, 2013 at 3:08 pm - Reply

    man after my own heart!! definately reducing bread intake and love tortillas as an alternate also! This recipe looks so quick and easy, plan to try it tonight!! thanks!!!

  3. ashlee November 18, 2013 at 3:41 am - Reply

    I’m trying this one tomorrow … thank you!

    • chefsilvia November 19, 2013 at 12:40 am - Reply

      I’m so excited that you’re trying this Ashlee. Do come back and let us know your results.

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