Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the lard (or other fat you are using) and 1 cup of the hot water (leave the other quarter cup aside). With the wooden spoon, which we use to avoid touching the hot water with our hands, begin to mix the ingredients.

Once you start to feel resistance with the spoon, continue kneading with your hands. At this moment, the dough will feel lumpy and warm.

As you continue kneading, and depending on the temperature of your house, the weather, and the place you live (I live at sea level), you will notice that the dough may feel a little dry. In this case, add a little of the reserved water. In some cases, the original one cup will be enough, but most of the time, you will need a bit more.

If, on the contrary, you added too much water and it feels sticky to the point that it doesn't come off your hands at all, you can add a teaspoon of flour, knead for two minutes, and evaluate if it requires another one.

It's ready when the ball of dough feels slightly moist and elastic and comes off your hands easily. This will take approximately 8 minutes of kneading time.

To do this, I recommend using a kitchen scale to create balls of the same size, but if you don't have one, you can use a knife or a bench scraper to divide the dough evenly. This recipe makes 16 regular-sized flour tortillas.

If you use the scale, weigh the total dough and divide by the desired number of tortillas to determine how many grams per portion of dough you need.

Take one piece of dough in your hand or roll it on a flat surface to form a ball. Place it on a lightly floured surface and repeat until you're done.

My kitchen is small, so I like to place them on a wooden cutting board in case I need to move them. But you can leave them on the kitchen counter or on a table.

Cover them with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (no more than 45). Resting time is essential because it allows the gluten to develop and makes it easier to roll out the tortillas.

You will need extra flour to flour the surface where you are going to shape the tortillas. I usually need a little less than 1/4 cup total.

Place one of the balls on a lightly floured surface (remember to cover the remaining dough balls). With the rolling pin, press slightly in the center of the ball, then roll it out from the center up and then the center down.

Next, rotate it a quarter turn and roll it again from center to top and from center to bottom. Now flip it over and repeat. Try not to add more flour because it could create a dry tortilla.

Continue rolling from top to bottom, twisting or turning until you achieve the desired thickness and size.

I recommend forming only the number of tortillas that will fit flat on your work surface without placing one on top of the other. Otherwise, they will stick together, and you will have to shape them again, forcing you to use more flour and making them drier.

I generally roll out three and form the next while I wait for one to cook.

Heat the comal or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat; once it is hot, reduce to medium heat and place the first tortilla.

When you notice that the tortilla surface has changed from a whitish to a yellowish color and bubbles begin to form, turn it over. You will see golden brown spots on it. Depending on your stove and skillet, this should take 35-45 seconds.

Wait another 30-40 seconds, then turn it again and cook for 10-25 more seconds. During this second flip, some of the tortillas puff up.

Remove the cooked tortilla and place it on the other clean kitchen towel and fold it over the tortilla or place in a towel-lined tortilla holder then cover to keep it warm. Repeat until you're done.

I use my hands to turn the tortillas because I've been making them for over 20 years, but they are hot, so use the rubber spatula if needed.

In my experience, the first tortilla never turns out perfectly; take this as a test to regulate the temperature of your comal for the next one.