Тортилья: история, изготовление и значение кукурузной лепёшки.

Unleavened flatbread made from nixtamalized maize

In North America, a corn tortilla or just tortilla (/t//ɔr/'/t//iː//ə/, toɾˈtiʝa) is a type of thin, unleavened flatbread, made from hominy, that is the whole kernels of maize treated with alkali to improve their nutrition in a process called nixtamalization. A simple dough made of ground, dried hominy, salt and water is then formed into flat discs and cooked on a very hot surface, generally an iron griddle called a comal. A similar flatbread from South America, called an arepa (though arepas are made with ground maize, not hominy, and are typically much thicker than tortillas), predates the arrival of Europeans to America, and was called tortilla by the Spanish from its resemblance to the traditional Spanish round, unleavened cakes and omelettes (originally made without potatoes, which are native to South America). The Aztecs and other Nahuatl speakers call tortillas tlaxcalli The successful conquest of the Aztec empire by the Spanish and the subsequent colonial empire ruled from the former Aztec capital have ensured that this variation become the prototypical tortilla for much of the Spanish speaking world. Maize kernels naturally occur in many colors, depending on cultivar: from pale white, to yellow, to red and bluish purple. Likewise, corn meal and the tortillas made from it may be similarly colored. White and yellow tortillas are by far the most common, however. In Mexico, there are three colors of maize dough for making tortillas: white maize, yellow maize and blue maize (also referred to as black maize).

Tortilla, from Spanish torta, cake, plus the diminutive illa, literally means "little cake". Nahuatl tlaxcalli is derived from the verb (i)xca "to bake" with the help of the prefix tla and two common suffixes l and li (< tli), that is "something baked". Tortilla in Iberian Spanish also means omelette. As such, this corn flour flatbread tortilla is not to be confused with the Spanish omelette or any other egg based one.

A tortilla is made by curing maize in limewater in the nixtamalization process, which causes the skin of the corn kernels to peel off (the waste material is typically fed to poultry), then grinding and cooking it, kneading it into a dough called masa nixtamalera, pressing it flat into thin patties using a rolling pin or a tortilla press, and cooking it on a very hot comal (originally a flat terra cotta griddle, now usually made of light sheet metal instead). The process, called nixtamalization, was developed indigenously by pre Columbian cultures and predates European contact by many centuries, if not millennia. toɾtiˈʝeɾo.

An uncooked corn tortilla made with nixtamalized corn at 46% hydration and depending on corn variety used and variations, consists of 45% carbohydrates, 3% fat, and 6% protein (table). In a 100 gram reference amount, a raw corn tortilla supplies 218 calories and is a rich source (20% or higher of the Daily Value, DV) of phosphorus (45% DV) and magnesium (20% DV). It is a moderate source (10 19% DV) of vitamin B6, niacin, manganese, and zinc (table).

Corn tortillas are the basis of many traditional Mexican dishes, such as tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, flautas, quesadillas, chilaquiles, and tortilla soup. Warmed corn tortillas are also often served as an accompaniment to stews, soups, grilled meats and other dishes, as bread might be served in other cuisines. By contrast, wheat flour tortillas are often used for burritos and quesadillas, particularly in the United States. Corn tortillas may also be deep fried to make crisp tortilla chips. These are often salted, and can be eaten alone or accompanied with various salsas and dips such as guacamole. Tortilla chips are a key ingredient in nachos.