Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

Directions

1. 1
   Place masa harina in a large mixing bowl.
2. 2
   Dissolve salt in 1 1/4 cup hot water.
3. 3
   Slowly pour the water over the masa harina, stirring with a large spoon as you pour.
4. 4
   Continue to mix the dough with your hands and knead it in the bowl for about 2 minutes until you can form a smooth ball that is not sticky or crumbly/dry. If the dough is dry/gritty/sandy and not all holding together, add more water slowly and knead until smooth. 1 1/2 cups was the perfect amount for me, but it can vary with the freshness of your flour, the climate you're in, etc. When the dough is just right, it will have a texture similar to Play-Doh. It will feel slightly cool, smooth, and clammy to the touch and should not feel wet or sticky. If the dough is wet, incorporate more flour into the mixture. If it's too dry, add more water.
5. 5
   Cover the dough in the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours on the counter. This is a key to the process so the flour has ample time to hydrate.
6. 6
   Section in half, and then in half again, until you have 16 similarly sized pieces.
7. 7
   Roll each piece into a ball between your hands and keep covered under a towel as you roll. (The dough should still be very smooth/clammy and not sticky or dry. A few drips of water from your fingertips can help if the dough is slightly dry.)
8. 8
   Tear off two 10x10-inch pieces of parchment paper and then 16, 7x7-inch squares which will keep the dough from sticking as you roll them out. Also take out a flat plate or dish that's larger than 6 inches wide.
9. 9
   Place one ball in between the 2 larger sheets of parchment, and, holding the plate, use your body weight to flatten the dough.
10. 10
    You want the dough about 6 inches in diameter and less than 1/8 inch thick. If you can't flatten it enough with the plate (this is common), finish rolling out with a rolling pin. Roll gently over the parchment paper in varying directions to keep the dough in a circular shape.
11. 11
    Carefully peel dough off the parchment and place on one of your smaller sheets of parchment. Continue this process and keep stacking the tortillas with the small sheets of parchment so they do not stick together.
12. 12
    If you want perfect edges, trim with a bowl or other circular object about 6 inches in diameter.
13. 13
    Once you've finished rolling them out, heat a non-greased cast iron skillet (or non-greased frying pan) over medium heat. Be sure to let fully preheat.
14. 14
    Place tortillas on the hot pan one at a time and cook for about 1 minute per side, then flip, and cook about 1 more minute. The tortilla should slightly char and puff up as it cooks on the second side.
15. 15
    Place in a tortilla warmer or stack them up and keep covered with a towel if serving warm. Adjust the cooking time and temperature as needed. Once they have cooled, the edges will be slightly crispy but the tortillas should easily roll.
16. 16
    Preheat your oven to 400° F and take out 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
17. 17
    Cut each cooked tortilla into 4 segments and brush each side very lightly with oil. A pastry brush works great for this.
18. 18
    Place oiled chips on the baking sheets in a single layer and sprinkle salt over top.
19. 19
    Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until golden brown and crispy. They will crisp even more as they cool.
20. 20
    For a lime-salted version, as soon as the chips come out of the oven *lightly* spritz (with your fingers) all of the chips with fresh lime juice. Let fully cool.
21. 21
    Enjoy with salsa or guacamole, or use to make nachos!
22. 22
    Tip: You can also make these chips the same way with store-bought corn tortillas. However, homemade are best!