rolling out the perfect pie crust....?

I'm going to assume that you can make pie crust dough as you've stated.

Bring the dough into a ball and chill it for an hour before rolling. Toss a couple of tablespoons of flour on the counter and spread it around.

Flatten the ball of dough a bit.

Flour your rolling pin

Roll the dough from the center to an outer edge. Turn the dough (about 1/4 turn) and continue rolling from the center to the outer edge until it's about 3" wider than your pie pan.

Don't worry about getting a perfect circle. No one will ever know. You can re-flour your rolling pin as needed.

Use a spatula to "un-stick" the dough from the counter as you turn it. Slide it under the dough from the edge to the center.

When the dough is the size you want it to be, you should be able to slide your hand and the spatula under the dough to lift it and place it in your pie plate.

Fit the dough to the pie plate. Roll up the edges and flute them. Occasionally I do have to trim a little dough from one side of the plate and move it to another side. Stuff any trimmings under the dough edges in the pan. Don't try to glue it to the top.

There's a lot of controversy and hoopla about pie crust recipes. I've read them all and tried most. Here's one that works well.

Two pie crust recipe:

2 1/2 cups AP flour (all purpose)

1 T. sugar (don't need for savory pies like quiche)

1/4 lb. cold unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening

2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar

3 liquid oz. cold water

Mix in food processor or by hand.

This is a stiff dough.

Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of cold water if you think the dough is just too stiff.

Use cold ingredients. Chill everything for an hour

Freeze up to one month. Thaw in fridge.

My poor departed mother is going to rise from the dead and slap me for this one, but here goes. "This makes a nice flaky crust without lard."

I forgot to mention that Anne is absolutely correct. A little patching here and there is better than overworking the dough.

Pat-in-pan crust are not great. They often overbake in the oven. The exception here is a shortbread crust...but that's another topic altogether.

Pie dough is so simple, 3 ingredients, yet so complex. It has to be soft but not too soft, cold but not too cold. A few cracks are ok but you have to keep the crust moving as you roll it out to prevent the sticking. Or the dough was too wet. Better an underworked, patched together dough than a tough, overworked one.

I've found that letting it rest after it is mixed helps the dough to relax. i let mine rest in the fridge to keep it cool. I use a rolling pin to transfer the crust. Keep adding tiny amounts of flour to the top and especially underneath the crust as your rolling it out helps too. I usually make about six crusts or more at a time. Once they are rolled I'll pop them into the freezer to really chill them before they are filled for open top pies such as quiche or pumpkin or apple crumb pie.

I think it's your recipe, it sounds like there is too much flour involved here. 1 pound of lard needs about 5 1/2 cups flour. One crust is 1 cup flour to 1/3 cup lard. Less is better when making piecrust and don't over handle it. Flour the counter well where you will be rolling it out but the dough itself should be soft.

Sometimes getting it cold before you roll it helps.

I also have seen crusts that you mix the dough and shape it into the pan with your finger tips. that eliminates the need to have to flip and transfer the dough.

Also you can roll the dough out between 2 pieces of Sran wrap that will make it easier to move too.

When you roll out the pie crust, put it in between two pieces of wax paper and it would be easier to put in the pie dish and prevent it from breaking.