Plantain Tortillas (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan)

These plantain tortillas have so much to offer to those looking for a good, simple, healthy replacement for standard flour or corn tortillas. This is it! We actually made a version of them back in 2010 just for fun. This was way before we knew anything about gluten-free or paleo diets. Now, though we are not strict on either of those fronts, we do appreciate the challenges that people who chose to or have to follow a specific diet may face. We love to come up with easy, do-able solutions for you.

This is so simple. If you've ever made your own homemade tortillas, you are halfway there. The two secrets here are using ripe plantains, which look a little like large rotten bananas, and using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer to mash them rather than just blending them. Once you have the mashed plantains, you use them just like any masa or flour tortilla dough.

The best part is that they act just like flour tortillas. You can bend them and stuff them like a taco or roll them up for enchiladas. You'll really love their lightly sweet taste.

Plantain Tortillas

2 ripe plantains (peeled, roughly chopped, about 1 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup water
Kosher salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Place plantains, water, and salt into a covered, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Allow the plantains to rest, covered, for another 2 minutes. The plantains should be soft. Add the plantains to the work bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat for 3 minutes or until all the lumps have disappeared. Gather the beaten plantains into a ball.

Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium-low. Take a 15-inch sheet of parchment and fold it n half. Brush the inside with the olive oil to keep the plantain mixture from sticking. Line your open tortilla press with oiled parchment. Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop 1/4 cup of the plantain mixture onto the parchment, fold the parchment over it, and use the press to gently flatten it to about 5 inches. Alternately, you may use a rolling pin to flatten it between the parchment.

Carefully remove flattened plantain and place into the warm non-stick frying pan. Cook on one side for 2 minutes or until it starts to blister, gently flip it using a spatula, and cook the other side for about 2 minutes. You want just that medium-low heat because the plantains have a significant amount of natural sugar that will burn over higher heat.

Remove tortillas from heat and cover with a clean dish towel. Repeat until all dough is used. (Makes about a half-dozen tortillas.)