Rolling Out the Dough

Remove the dough from the fridge 5 to 10 minutes before you begin rolling. Dough that is too cold will develop cracks when it is rolled.

Lightly flour your work surface and a French (tapered) rolling pin. (If you’re not using a French rolling pin, follow the instructions in the next paragraph for using a flat rolling pin.) Place the dough in the center of the work surface, and beginning from slightly below the center of the disc, roll the dough away from you using one even stroke, applying more pressure on the left side of the pin than on the right; most of the flattening will occur in the upper-left quadrant of the dough circle. Decrease pressure as you reach the dough’s edge. After each stroke, spin the disc an eighth to a quarter turn counterclockwise and roll again. Sprinkle more flour underneath and on top of the dough and on the rolling pin as you work; use just enough to prevent the dough from sticking.

As the disc becomes larger, use care to not overstretch the center of the dough. The tapered-style rolling pin tends to put more pressure on the center of the disc, so once the dough circle is 8 to 9 inches across, we like to switch to a flat pin to finish rolling (either handled or dowel-type; if you prefer this type overall, your rollout instructions start here). Continue rolling in the same fashion as before, starting just below the center of the disc and pushing away from you, but now apply even pressure across the entire top half of the disc, lightening up as you reach the dough’s edge; then rotate counterclockwise. If cracks develop, cut a piece of dough from the edge and pat it into the crack to patch (you can also add a brush of water to help seal it if needed).

Roll the dough until it is 2 to 3 inches larger than the pan you are using and about ⅛ inch in thickness.

If you want to do this step ahead of time, you can roll out the dough into a flat disc, place it on a sheet of parchment paper that is larger than the disc, and then gently roll it up. Freeze the dough solid, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and put it back in the freezer until you need it. Allow it to thaw until pliable, about 15 minutes, before using.