Rolling pin

A wooden "roller" type rolling pin

Atta dough being rolled with a rolling pin during the preparation of chapati

A rolling pin is a cylindrical food preparation utensil used to shape and flatten dough. Two styles of rolling pins are found; roller and rods. Roller types consists of a thick cylindrical roller with small handles at each end; rod type rolling pins are usually thin tapered batons. Rolling pins of different styles and materials offer advantages over another, as they are used for different tasks in cooking and baking.

Types of rolling pins

A tapered (top) and straight (bottom) "rod" type rolling pins

• Rod: Thin rods typically made of wood around 2–3 cm in diameter. They are used by rolling the rod across the dough using one's palm. The pins may be tapered at one or both ends for more pivot control in certain tasks such as making small jiaozi skins or pie shells. Most East Asian or French style rolling pins, and the Turkish Oklava are rod style.
• Roller: Consists of a thick heavy roller made of a variety of materials around 7–10 cm in diameter with thinner handles which extend through the roller. They are used by grasping the handles and pushing the pin across the dough. Many Western rolling pins are roller types.
• Textured: Some specialized rolling pins have textured surfaces that mark and indents the dough surfaces for special breads and pancakes.

A wooden belan rolling pin is used on a round chakla to make chapatis

In South Asia, the rolling pin (belan) is used in combination with a chakla (flat circular rolling board). The dough for chapatis is rolled on the chakla with the help of the belan. A modern electronic device, a small kitchen appliance called a Roti Maker (or Tortilla maker) combines the function of chakla, belan and round electric tava cooking griddle.

Material

Rolling pins come in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials including glass, ceramic, acrylic, bakelite, copper, brass, aluminium, silicone, wood, stainless steel, marble, and plastic. Some are hollow and are able to be filled with cold or warm water to better roll a desired food. Marble rolling pins are often cooled in a refrigerator for maintaining a cold dough while making puff pastry.

• Rolling pins
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  Striated rolling pin surface for making Norwegian Lefse

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  Long rolling pin used for making Japanese udon noodles

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  A small porcelain rolling pin from Germany

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  A wine bottle used as a rolling pin

In popular culture

An angry housewife wielding a rolling pin as a weapon is a common cliché in humour, as for example in the English comic strip Andy Capp.

See also

• Kneading
• Roller docker