The oversized, tissue-thin flour tortilla known as a tortilla de agua, stretched by hand until nearly translucent, the base of a proper Sonoran burro.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
The giant Sonoran flour tortilla is a borderland craft, stretched by hand and cooked on a hot comal until it is paper-thin and supple, sometimes wide enough to fold a full burro. Arizona inherited the tradition from Sonora, and Phoenix tortilla factories and family kitchens still turn them out warm. Carolina's built its reputation on them, and La Sonorense sells them by the dozen.
Common allergens: Gluten
Tip from the editors. Rest the dough and stretch it warm; cold dough springs back and you will never get the tissue-thin Sonoran stretch.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
La Sonorense Tortilla Factory on South Central stretches the giant tortillas de agua that define Sonoran cooking, sold warm by the dozen in South Phoenix.
Tip: Buy a stack of the big flour tortillas warm; they are the base for a proper Sonoran burro.
Worth the queue: Large hand-stretched Sonoran flour tortillas
Asadero Norte de Sonora on 16th Street is a neighbourhood Sonoran grill, turning out mesquite carne asada wrapped in house-made flour tortillas.
Signature: Carne asada, House flour tortillas, Barbacoa
Order: Carne asada tacos on the giant house-made flour tortillas.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays; the grilled chicken is as good as the beef if the asada line is long.
More cities are in research. Want sonoran flour tortilla covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.