I agree, you don’t need anything fancy. I’m also known for my pie crusts and I use very simple tools. It’s mostly in finding a good recipe and then perfecting your technique and understanding of how the dough behaves.
Well, if you live in a very hot climate and don’t have air conditioning in your kitchen, then you might need something to help keep the dough cool. You don’t want to let the dough get too warm. That’s one of the key secrets to good pastry.
I use a wooden french-style rolling pin, the kind that is quite long, has no handles and tapers slightly at the ends. But you can make good pastry with any kind of rolling pin—even an empty wine bottle will work in a pinch. Try handling a few and see what feels comfortable to you.
I’ve rolled my dough on the formica countertop (lightly floured), on wax paper or plastic wrap—my favorite is a round pastry board with a fabric cover. Again, just experiment a bit and see what works for you. I recommend you also get a bench scraper (good for detaching the dough if it starts sticking to your surface). A shaker to dust your flour with is optional but useful. None of these are very expensive.
If you buy an old rolling pin, make sure it has no nicks, dings, or holes in the rolling surface, is straight and not warped, and that the handles are firmly attached and spin well, without binding or excessive wobbling. In fact, I’d recommend you check out new ones for problems like that, too.
Enjoy your pastry-making!
