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1. Combine the masa harina and salt in a deep bowl and, stirring the mixture constantly, pour in 1 cup of the water in a slow, thin stream. Then knead the mixture vigorously with your hands, adding up to ˝ cup more water by the tablespoonful if necessary, until the dough becomes firm and no longer sticks to the fingers.
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2. To shape the tortillas, divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each one between your palms into a ball the size of a walnut. Place one ball at a time between two 8-inch squares of wax paper, then flatten it into a 5- to 6-inch round in a tortilla press.
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3. Stack the tortillas on top of one another without removing the papers. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Then heat an ungreased cast-iron griddle or a 7- to 8-inch cast-iron skillet over moderate heat until a drop of water flicked onto it splutters and evaporates instantly.
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4. Unwrap and fry one tortilla at a time for about 2 minutes on each side,turning it once with a spatula when the bottom becomes a delicate brown.Watch carefully and regulate the heat if the tortilla colors too quickly.As they brown, transfer the tortillas to a large platter.
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5. Wrap the tortillas in foil, four or five at a time, as you proceed, and keep them warm in the oven. If you prefer, you may stack and wrap all of the tortillas together in paper towels, cover them with a damp cloth and finally with foil, then place them in the oven to keep warm for 2 to 3 hours.
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6. To prepare tortillas days or weeks in advance, cook and cool them to room temperature. Stack them between pieces of wax paper and wrap the stack with foil. Tightly wrapped, the tortillas can safely be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, or in the freezer for months.
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7. To rewarm the refrigerated tortillas, unwrap one at a time and heat it in an ungreased skillet for about 30 seconds, turning the tortilla frequently with tongs until it softens and is heated through. Frozen tortillas should be thoroughly defrosted before they are reheated.
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