Inspiring Chefs Everywhere Tortilla & Flatbread Maker Care Instructions and Recipe Booklet 1 2 #1443 Tortilla & Flatbread Maker Instructions for Use and Recipe Guide 3 IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS When using electrical appliances, basic safety precautions should always be followed, including: 1. Read all instructions 2. Do not touch hot surfaces, instead use the handles. 3. To protect against electrical shock, do not immerse power cord, plug or appliance in water or any other liquid. 4. If the power cord is damaged, the manufacturer (or a similarly qualified person) must replace it in order to avoid a hazard. 5. Do not use outdoors 6. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is being used by or near children. 7. Avoid contact with moving parts. 8. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by the manufacturer may cause fire, electric shock or injury. 9. Unplug from outlet when not in use and before cleaning. Allow appliance to cool completely before putting on or taking off parts. 10. Do not operate appliance with a damaged power cord or plug or after the appliance malfunctions or is dropped or damaged in any manner. Return appliance to manufacturer of its service agent for examination, repair or adjustment. 11. Do not let the power cord hang over the edge of a table or counter or touch any hot surface. 12. Do not use the appliance for other than intended use. 13. Do not place on or near a hot gas or electric burner, or in a heated oven. 14. To disconnect, remove the plug from the wall outlet. 15. Do not clean the appliance with metal scouring pads. Pieces can break off from the pad and touch electrical parts, creating a risk of electrical shock. POLARIZED PLUG This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). To reduce the risk of electric shock, the plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not modify the plug in any way. 4 THIS DEVICE FOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS. READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS • Make sure the voltage in your outlet is the same as the voltage indicated on the appliance’s rating label. • Always turn the power off at the power outlet before you insert or remove a plug. Remove by grasping the plug – do not pull on the cord. • Turn the power off and remove the plug when the appliance is not in use and before cleaning. • Do not use your appliance with an extension cord unless this cord has been checked and tested by a qualified technician or service person. • Close supervision is necessary when your appliance is being used by children. • Never leave an appliance unattended while in use. • Do not use an appliance for any purpose other than its intended use. • Do not place an appliance on or near a hot gas flame, electric element or any other appliance. • Do not let the power cord of an appliance hang over the edge of a table or bench top or touch any hot surfaces. • Do not operate appliance if it has malfunctioned or has been damaged in any manner. In order to avoid the risk of an electric shock, never try to repair the Waffle Cone Maker yourself. Take it to an authorized service station for examination and repair. • Do not use outdoors or for commercial purposes. • Unplug the unit when finished using. • Do not immerse the appliance in water or any other liquid. 5 PARTS IDENTIFICATION Before using your Flatbread & Tortilla for the first time, you should become familiar with all of the parts. Read all Instructions and Safeguards carefully. Top handle Top forming plate (medium temperature) Small ear, lid handles Bottom hot plate (high temperature) Ready light GETTING TO KNOW YOUR TORTILLA & FLATBREAD MAKER It’s easy to press & bake fresh, healthy flatbreads at home. Only the CucinaPro Tortilla & Flatbread maker makes a large size wrap to hold plenty of your favorite fillings. With a giant 10 inch diameter cooking plate, it makes an up to 40% larger flatbread than comparable models. HOW TO USE YOUR TORTILLA & FLATBREAD MAKER Follow the “Press and Release” Method Important: the secret to making flatbreads on your machine is to gently & gradually flatten the dough. The moisture and the steam in the dough must be allowed to gradually escape as the tortilla is formed. It is a process of giving the dough multiple “presses & releases”. If you press the dough too hard all at once, the steam can break apart the flatbread. As you release, you can see the steam escaping. Allow the steam to escape. 6 Follow the following steps for best results. 1) PREHEAT Preheat with the grids in the open position only. To preheat, plug unit in, indicator light will go on. After about 8-10 minutes indicator light will go OFF. You are then ready to begin. DO NOT LEAVE UNIT CLOSED WHILE PREHEATING. Note: While you are baking the indicator light will continue to periodically go on and off. This means only that the ideal baking temperature is being maintained , and it not indicating when to start and stop baking. 2) PLACE DOUGH PATTY Shape the dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Pat between hands to flatten slightly into a patty. Place dough patty on the bottom grid, just rear of center. 3) PRESS & RELEASE Use small ear handles to gently press dough, gradually flattening the dough patty. If dough slides forward, use a spatula to keep the dough in place as you press down. As you press, raise the lid to release the escaping steam. Gently “press & release” several times. Each press should only be less than a second. Do not “press & hold”. Do not press continuously. This will prevent the steam from escaping, causing the flatbread to split & break. 4) ROTATE DOUGH Quickly raise the lid, rotate partially flattened dough about 180 degrees. 5) PRESS & RELEASE AGAIN Again use small ear handles to gently “press & release” several more times, further flattening the ball of dough. 6) ROTATE DOUGH AGAIN Quickly raise lid and partially rotate the dough another 180 degrees 7) USE TOP HANDLE Now the top lid is far enough down that you can begin using the top handle to get the tortilla to its final thinness. Do not press the top handle hard and all at once. If pressed too hard, steam will become trapped in the dough and can “blow apart” the flatbread. Again, gently “press & release” the top handle several times until you are to the final thinness. 7 8) BAKE Now brown to your desired color & texture. You may bake in the open position, or lightly lower the lid and bake in the closed position for faster results. Do not lower or press top handle while baking. 9) BAKE OTHER SIDE Flip the flatbread over and let the other side brown further. Any utensils should be non-metallic only, to protect the non-stick surface. 10) FINISHED When finished baking, unplug the cord from the outlet and leave the grids open to cool. TOO MUCH SPLITTING? Let steam escape! Don’t press hard all at once. If the top handle is pressed too hard, steam will become trapped in the dough and can “blow apart” the flatbread. Just gently “press & release” the top handle several times until you are to the final thinness. FIRST USING YOUR TORTILLA & FLATBREAD MAKER When using your flatbread maker for the first time, you may notice someslight smoking odor. This is normal with many heating appliances and will not recur. This does not affect the safety of your appliance. Also, it is recommended that you discard the first two flatbreads from your new baker. HELPFUL HINTS FOR TASTY TORTILLAS, THE BASIC FLATBREAD WRAP 1. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, in small amounts, in addition to amount called for in basic tortilla recipes. This helps to make smoother dough and a lighter tortilla Keeping the dough moist will make better tortillas. Because the dough dries out quickly, it is important to keep it covered in a container even while baking. You may use plastic wrap to cover the dough. It may be necessary to add small amounts of water from time to time. Tortillas made with dry dough won’t puff, and could be heavy, crumbly or the edges will crack during baking. 2. After mixing the dough, it must rest for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours before baking. Rest dough in a bowl before you roll into balls, or form balls and set them on a plate. Be sure dough is covered at all times. It will keep at room temperature for sever- al hours, or may be refrigerated as long as 36 hours by greasing surface of dough and covering tightly with plastic wrap. 8 3. Flour tortillas: It is important to press the lid down quickly with moderate pressure (approximately 1 second) and open. Press lid down several more times to achieve desired size & thickness. 4. Corn tortillas: Press lever down quickly only once, open lid and bake as directed. Due to the consistency of corn tortilla dough, continuous pressure will cause some cracks in the tortilla. 5. It is preferable to use unbleached four for flour tortillas. Corn tortillas are made from dehydrated masa flour called “Masa Harina” which is available at most supermarkets and specialty food markets. Corn meal is not a substitute for Masa Harina. 6. Low fat hint: Substitute canola or vegetable oil in most recipes.