This friend watched, and chatted, while I ground fresh wheat flour…
…mixed the ingredients…kneaded the dough…then rolled and baked the tortillas.
He seems to find it amazing that I delight to spend my time so much on food for my family, and just shook his head when I pulled homemade goat mozzarella from the refrigerator, to make the quesadillas. He didn’t ask how long that took to make. 
He didn’t stick around for lunch…maybe some other time. He had only been waiting for Will, and missed him.
But I thought you might like to see how I do tortillas.
Now, mind you, mine are not like those of Miss Rosa, who first taught me. Hers are white-flour soft, and shapely, and her hands absolutely fly when she begins the rolling and baking. But then, perhaps after I’ve been making tortillas for fifty years, mine will be prettier than they are.
In the meanwhile, my family and I still enjoy them.
Process -
Begin by heating about 1 cup water until nearly boiling. Put in a medium mixing bowl 1 1/2 cups white flour, and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Add 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Stir thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup or more shortening/butter/coconut oil (the type of grease may effect the amount required), and squash it into the flour with the back of a metal spoon. Alternatively, I use my Ulu knife to chop it in (I’m my own food processor).
When the mixture resembles course meal, pour in some hot water. The amount depends on atmospheric conditions and the type(s) of flour used, and cannot be given. Experience is the best teacher here. If in doubt about how much to pour in, begin with 1/2 a cup, and go from there…but know that as soon as the water cools down at all, it becomes more difficult to work in properly, and the texture of your dough will not be as nice. If your water is sufficiently hot, you should see a kind of froth forming on top of the flour. Stir immediately and thoroughly, and don’t worry about overworking the dough – you’ll be kneading it in a few moments. After you think all the water has been absorbed, work it a minute or two longer, then determine if you need another drop. The dough should not be sticky, as tortillas that are too sticky are almost impossible to roll.
Now, for the kneading. You can knead the lump just like bread dough, using your palms to thrust it into itself for maybe 10 minutes, or you can give it 400-500 strokes with a sharp knife. I usually do a combination, using the kneading motion to set it into itself well enough to stay together when I knife it, and then again toward the end of the process, to round the edges and prepare it to be pulled apart into balls.
If you use a knife, it should take less than five minutes:
Next, make the dough into balls at least as large as golf balls, then let them set in the bowl to rest a few minutes. 3-5 is usually enough. I use this time to clean up the table, prepare other items, or catch my breath.
To roll a tortilla, set a ball of dough on the table or other other smooth surface, and slighly flatten it. With a dowel or heavy rolling pin (I like marble), roll one stroke up, then one stroke down, then flip the piece over, repositioning it one quarter turn. Actually, I think Miss Rosa did but one rolling stroke each time, flipping the tortilla almost constantly. However you do it, the idea is to get it round, smooth, and quite thin. Flip and roll, flip and roll…round your edges or give it another stroke where needed…flip and roll. Practice will make you an expert.
The kids and I usually roll the batch together, with Billy doing about one tortilla to my three, and Tyger eating most of hers. 
They usually are not round, and often have odd holes or dents…but they taste good.
Next, I toss them onto a medium hot dry griddle, or the center surface of my cookstove, and roll another one while I wait for them to bake. Experience will teach you exactly what temperature you prefer, and when to flip them. On average, I leave mine about 60 seconds on the first side, and 45 on the second. Depending on your stove and preferences, you may leave yours up to three minutes on the first side, or as little as 30 seconds…if you like them somewhat chewy and spotty, over a high heat.
Guess what? Remove them to a plate, place a warm towel over them, and you’re done! Put beans and steak strips, or egg and sausage in them, roll them up, and chow down.
Or, layer them with cheese, and put them on baking sheets into a moderate oven. Before adding the top tortilla, fold it in quarters and cut it with scissors, for a pretty “snowflake” through which the cheese can bubble.
We chose to serve ours with soup, for dipping and sipping.
Ah… Satisfying.
