When having a bowl of freshly made guacamole sounds exciting to you. Then having it with freshly made corn tortilla chips should get you fired up on all fronts.
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Corn chips are nothing new and you can buy them in the store. Problem is that those ones aren't as good as homemade with love and chipotle.
You can go for the bag of nasty-ass-toxic Doritos or you can lift a finger and quickly smash together your own bad-ass made-from-scratch corn tortilla chips instead.
Everyone will love you extra for going the extra mile in making them something so simple yet so delicious all the way from the ground up.
Totopos as they are also known as is the perfect vehicle you can scoop dips up with. Don't stop at the best guacamole recipe. Go for gold and dip them into hummus, salsa, or some internet-breaking pea and mint dip for chips.
They're also naturally vegan. a Fact that makes us all happy.
So, with all that said. Let's look at how to make tortilla chips by hand(and a rolling pin).
Ingredients for the dough
You will be knocked off your chair but, it only requires 6 ingredients. Some of which probably just sits in you pantry gathering dust.
- Cornmeal - You can use any type. Yellow is best and you can also blitz up polenta if you don't have any. Same Same.
- Flour - All-purpose flour works great.
- Water - Drinkable tap water.
- Seasoning - I use salt and chipotle powder but, you can use smoked paprika or any other spice you fancy.
- Oil - Use frying oil because we going to fry in it.
How to make it
Making fresh tortilla chips are a walk in the park and require very little skill and even less time. Anyone can do it and to be honest, should be making their own tortilla chips from scratch.
- Mix together flour, cornmeal, water and salt until it comes together in a dough ball. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut smaller pieces and roll out on a well-floured surface until very thin. You should be able to see you hand through the dough.
- Cut into regular or irregular shapes. Your choice. Leave on open on the counter.
- Heat a deep pot or pan filled ⅓ with frying oil. Heat until 170C and turn the heat down completely. If you have a small fryer then use that instead. Keep monitoring the temperature as you don't want the oil above 180C.
- Fry in batches. They are ready when they just start to stop bubbling. remove with a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and drain on a kitchen paper-lined tray. Sprinkle with your seasoning of choice. I used chipotle powder mixed with salt.
- Let it cool down slightly and serve.
The corn chips can now be stored in an airtight container in a cool dry place for weeks. They won't last that long though. They are super delicious and kicks the butt of any store-bought variety all day, every day.
Serving suggestions
At the end of the day, these are posh vegan chips. Something to scoop dips up with or have as a snack with beer, wine or at some informal party with family and friends.
- With dips - Guacamole or Pea feta and mint dip are the go-to dips I love having with these. Also cooled down creamed spinach. Winner.
- With other snacks - Like bbq chicken quesadilla, Thai spiced nuts, Parmesan biscuits, or marinated olives.
- With drinks - Like the best Spanish Sangria, triple citrus lemonade or if you like fermented drinks this fermented strawberry soda. Great with some tequila. Think strawberry soda margarita. BOOOM!
Other recipes you might like
If you like making your own version of popular dishes, but better, then you will love the following recipes:
- Bread - Sourdough bread with flax or dark rye Borodisnky bread
- Salads - Classic Caesar salad, Authentic Greek salad or Coleslaw. The most well-known salads on the planet. Done properly.
- Something sweet perhaps - super fluffy carrot cake, Russian honey cake or cherry and almond tart.
Useful equipment for this recipe
Dutch Oven
Temperature Probe
Electronic Kitchen Scales
Baking Sheets
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Recipe
Corn Tortilla Chips(Totopos) | Made From Scratch
Ingredients
- 100 g (6.5 tablespoon) cornmeal - finely ground
- 100 g (6.5 tablespoon) all-purpose flour
- 75 g (⅓ cups) water
- 3 g (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2 g (0.5 teaspoon) chipotle powder
- 1 Litre (4.5 cups) oil for frying - enough to fill ⅓ deep pot or saucepan.
Instructions
- Mix together flour, cornmeal, water and salt until it comes together in a dough ball. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut smaller pieces and roll out on a well-floured surface until very thin. You should be able to see you hand through the dough.
- Cut into regular or irregular shapes. Your choice. Leave on open on the counter.
- Heat a deep pot or pan filled ⅓ with frying oil. Heat until 170C and turn the heat down completely. If you have a small fryer then use that instead. Keep monitoring the temperature as you don't want the oil above 180C.
- Fry in batches. They are ready when they just start to stop bubbling. remove with a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and drain on a kitchen paper-lined tray. Sprinkle with your seasoning of choice. I used chipotle powder mixed with salt.
- Let it cool down slightly and serve.
Nicole T says
Can you use an air fryer?
Charlé Visser says
This recipe doesn't like baking or air frying. It will come out very dense and glassy instead of flakey and crispy.
Samantha says
Can I fry these in beef tallow?
Charlé Visser says
Sure.
Raquel G says
If you dry roast it on a griddle, will it still come out hard?
Charlé Visser says
It will, but it will be tough.
CJ says
HELLO I MADE YOUR CHIPS - I ADDED 1/8 TSP OF GARLIC POWDER , 1/8 TSP OF ONION POWDER & 1/2 TSP CHILLI POWDER - I ROLLED MINE WITH CORN FLOUR IT WAS VERY EASY AND DIDN'T STICK TO MY BOARD - THANKS FOR THE RECIPE GOD BLESS YOU AMEN!
Anonymous says
Where are the ingredient amounts?
Charlé Visser says
In the recipe card
Barb F. says
Hi! I don't use oil in my vegan cooking, so I'd like to bake these. Would that work (with parchment paper underneath)? Thanks
Charlé Visser says
You could bake these but I would adjust the recipe a bit.
Do the following:
100 g cornmeal or polenta (finely ground)
100 g all-purpose flour
6 g baking powder
100 g water
3 g salt
2 g chipotle powder
Eliana says
At how much do i bake mine for if I were to bake them? Thank you
Charlé Visser says
It’s better to use my soft flour tortillas recipe then bake those until crispy. These deliver variable results in the oven…
Bake for 12 minutes 170C
Donna L, Hardin says
Delicious! I didn't get the dough quite thin enough but they still tasted good. Hubby is eating them with homemade salsa and has no complaints! 🙂
Charlé Visser says
If you have a pasta roller then that helps to get it nice and thin. Also if you let them dry out a bit and then fry they also come out pretty good. Glad you like it!
Sophia says
Hi
Can I replace all Purpose Flour with Gluten Free Plain Flour and can I bake them instead of frying.
Charlé Visser says
Try it and let me know how it went. I would brush them with oil still before baking though.
Anonymous says
I tried recipe but mine didn’t turn out very well! My dough was too dry when trying to roll out.
Charlé says
It’s common for dough like this(Stiff low moisture) to be either too dry or wet. It depends on air humidity, temperature of your house, flours used and grain of cornmeal to name a few. The simple solution is to just add a bit of water if it seems too dry to roll out or add a bit of flour if the dough is too wet.