Skalki: a description of the varieties and the nuances of choice

Rolling pin is probably the most famous kitchen "character." Of course, this is largely due to anecdotes, where the utensils act as a female weapon of reprisals against a guilty husband. But, rejecting the jokes, we can say with confidence that it depends on her in many ways on how tasty the cake or noodles will turn out.

A rather ordinary and well-known rolling pin has a rich history. Scientists have found that already about 3,000 years ago, the Etruscans actively used this type of utensils in everyday life. However, in other parts of the world devices were also common. They were made of stone, clay or wood. It should be noted that the rolling pin is not always used to work with the dough. They also beat off meat and ground spices and roots. And in the IV century BC. e. in ancient Greece, the product was used for smoothing or, on the contrary, pleating fabrics. Before rolling the fabric was kept in a special solution.

At the end of the 19th century, a wooden rolling pin with handles was invented for rolling dough. It is fair to note that such rolling pins began to appear in different cities, however, an African American Reed patented this invention. He made a movable spinning cylinder with handles that remained in a fixed position.

Particularly interesting and romantic history of glass skalok. They were given by the English sailors to their wives, going to sail. A fragile gift was decorated with touching drawings and inscriptions. Naturally, such a gift was not used in the kitchen, but was kept as a souvenir and a talisman. It was believed that if the rolling pin cracked or smashed is a bad sign, the ship was wrecked. Traditionally, glassware was hollow and had one handle. Inside it was possible to pour tea, spices. But the wives of the sailors poured sea salt there, believing that she would save from the evil eye and misfortune on the water.

The most famous at the time glass rolling pins were cobalt Bristol (produced in the city of Bristol), they had a high cost. More affordable analogues were Nailsea (from the city of Neilsey). They were made from bottle glass.

At the beginning of the 19th century, ceramic rolling pins also appeared, which was associated with the promotion of health and hygiene. Ceramic counterparts were easier to clean than wood. The dough did not stick to them, and the temperature of the rolling pin and dough could be adjusted by cooling or heating the accessory. The only disadvantage of ceramics is fragility.

Porcelain and ceramic factories instantly picked up this idea and began to produce utensils. The most popular at that time were the blue-white products from the German factory "Meissen" and the Dutch "Delft". Since ceramic rolling pins required careful handling, they needed to be improved. So there were rotating (roller) ceramic versions with wooden handles.

Rolling pin is a type of kitchen utensil, which is a cylindrical object designed for rolling dough. Some models are equipped with handles.

Rolling pins can be made of various materials, have a different configuration.

From the point of view of construction, rolling pins can be divided into 2 groups - those that have handles, and without them (in the form of a roller).Handles on the accessory make dough rolling more convenient - hands remain clean, as is the dough itself. But there was no special relief in rolling out the product with handles. Another advantage of working with such utensils is protection against overheating due to friction of hands on it. This is especially true when the recipe requires you to cool the rolling pin or roll the dough out of the fridge.

Handles on rolling pins can be a continuation of the roller with a working surface or be mounted separately. Today, manufacturers offer and devices with folding handles. Often the latter are made from other materials.

More interesting can be called classic cylindrical models. They are considered to be universal, because they are suitable for working with dough, even on a baking sheet or in a frying pan. Analog with handles in this case will be inconvenient. In addition, many housewives use such a rolling pin and as tolkushki.

We can distinguish another type - cylinders with a thickened middle part (working surface). Such devices are convenient for working with dense flat cakes (for example, for belyashes), but it is uncomfortable to roll out such dough with such utensils.

If we talk about updates, it is worth mentioning rolling pin with rotating handles. The product consists of a rotating part and handles. You can even hold on to the latter, since only the working surface rotates. Such rolling pins are especially convenient for those who work with large volumes of dough: hands are less tired, no blisters are rubbed.

Structural features of the rolls are due to their purpose. For example, in addition to the well-known cylindrical rolling pin, there is a raviolitsa. It can be used to make ravioli, the texture of which is close to the dumplings.

Noodle cutter - an indispensable assistant for those who love homemade noodles. It is necessary to roll out the dough with the usual rolling pin, and then with the noodle cutter. As a result, you get perfectly thin and identical noodles. And again there will be a saving of time and effort.

Product "3 in 1" will win the hearts of those who appreciate functionality and ergonomics. Due to the design features, it can act as a bottle for storing oil or sauce, a pestle for grinding spices, and also a rolling pin.

Another multi-function device - rolling pin for cookies. Represents the classical cylindrical assistant from plastic with handles. However, inside the product is hollow, it opens, and cookie cakes are stored in it. It is very convenient, since the molds will not be lost and will not require a separate storage space.

The dimensions of the rolling pin, namely: length and diameter, are determined by the purpose of the product. Do not neglect the choice of utensils in terms of its size. Some devices are designed for rolling large layers of dough, others allow you to roll out the dough right on the baking sheet or in a pan, saving time and effort.

The device with a length of 25–30 cm and a diameter of 5–6 cm is considered universal and most popular. It is suitable for working with small products and rolling seams of medium size. For larger ones, it is recommended to choose a rolling pin, the length of which is 40-50 cm. Together with the size, the diameter of the product invariably increases - it is 8-10 cm. Small products with a length of 7-10 cm are necessary for rolling small piece products: dough for pies, dumplings, manti. Sometimes they may have one pen in the manner of a roller. Such devices are indispensable in the conditions of a shortage of space.

There are also thin long accessories called uklyuv. They are used for rolling Armenian lavash, baklava.They are also convenient for rolling pizza, dough for some pies. You can also wrap dough layers on such utensils. The length of some products reaches a meter.

The differences may apply to the materials from which the rolling pin is made. Consider the most common.

One of the most popular options, attracting practicality, durability, optimal weight. On average, it is 0.5-1 kg - that is, the devices are not heavy, but not too light. However, wood products have disadvantages. First of all, they require special care. Wood does not tolerate moisture, which complicates the washing and disinfection of the accessory. Do not soak a rolling pin, use a dishwasher for washing.

The dough adheres strongly to the wooden surface, especially soft. It is necessary all the time to pour flour or use a film. Finally, in the process of operation, chipping and cracks may appear on the wooden surface. This is fraught with the development of bacteria on the surface, and burrs on a rolling pin can injure hands.

When choosing a wooden rolling pin, preference should be given to the devices that are made of solid wood: beech, linden, oak You can consider the bamboo version.

Modern elastic material, pressed the wooden counterpart. Silicone products are easy to use, however, the dough does not stick to them. For greater convenience, experienced housewives use rolling pins together with mats made of silicone.

An important point - rolling pins made of silicone are quite light, therefore they are not suitable for all types of dough. It is best to use them if you need to roll a soft dough, but the amount of work itself is small. Otherwise, you can use silicone analogues with a weighting agent. In the role of the latter is a metal cylinder, which is fixed inside the accessory.

A stainless steel rolling pin is not often used by housewives, but in a professional kitchen it is a fairly common and necessary “unit”. Firstly, Professional rolling pin is valuable because it can roll out absolutely all types of dough. At the same time, the material does not risk becoming covered with cracks and burrs, therefore, one can speak of its durability. In addition, due to the large weight, it is convenient to use metal utensils for viscous, inelastic dough, to roll out large layers.

Slightly less used is aluminum, which is comfortable to roll out a softer and more elastic dough. Also, the accessory is suitable for grinding nuts and spices by rolling them. If required by the recipe, you can heat or cool the metal rolling pin. It is quite simple to care for it, it is possible to use the dishwasher.

The disadvantage of an accessory made of metal can be called the difficulty of working with it. It is not easy to adapt to such a rolling pin, it is important to choose the right thickness. Metal rolling pins are solid and combined - that is, the working surface of metal is combined with handles made of wood or silicone.

Metal rolling pins are often made hollow with the ability to fill the inside with water. This allows you to adjust the weight of the rolling pin and change its temperature. For example, if there is oil in the dough, and it is important that it does not melt, pour cold water into the rolling pin. If, on the contrary, it is necessary to warm the dough to improve its elasticity, pour warm water.

An option not for daily use, which, however, is suitable not only for rolling dough, but also for sugar mastic, meat and fish stuffing, marmalade, chocolate mass. It is clear that this is a rather fragile product that requires careful handling. Very often, glass rolling pins are made hollow, but if desired, they can be filled with grits. The latter helps regulate the weight of the rolling pin. In addition, this accessory will decorate the interior.

Porcelain and ceramic can also be attributed to glass rolling pins, the classification is based on their decorative similarity and fragility. It is important to protect the icing on such products from chipping and sudden temperature changes.

Stone rolling pins, along with wooden ones, appeared among the first in the arsenal of housewives and professionals. Then they disappeared from everyday life, but now they are reviving again and are characterized by high cost. First of all, it is worth noting their respectable appearance and impressive weight (an average of 2 kg). Such rolling pins are optimal for tight dough. It is especially convenient in this case to work with a rolling pin made of marble. But thin and delicate dough requires the development of special skills to work with a stone accessory.

Stone products, if necessary, can be heated and cooled, however, you can not do this abruptly. Such temperature jumps are fraught with the appearance of cracks on the surface. The same applies to shocks, random rolling pins. That is why, despite the strength of the stone, the model still require careful handling.

Modern material that is resistant to water, fat, temperature changes. The plastic accessory rolls the dough quite well, it does not stick to the surface of the accessory, you can transfer the dough to a baking tray with a rolling pin. However, all these properties are real only if the model is made of high-quality food-grade plastic. If there is no exact information about the manufacturer and material, it is better to refuse the purchase.

There are rolling pins with a centimeter ruler applied to the surface. They allow you to roll dough of the same size, which is especially important in the work of professional bakers and pastry chefs - ready-made pastries are ideal in size.

If you need to strictly adjust the thickness of the dough, you should pay attention to the rolling pin with special clamps. Due to the latter, the working surface of the rolling pin just does not fall below a given parameter, and the dough is obtained the desired thickness.

As stoppers, special lining rings are used, which are worn on both sides of the rolling pin. Rings can be in the set, providing the desired thickness of the dough, in this case, every time you need to pick up new rings and put them on. In addition, the rings can be embedded, and then just scroll through them, setting the desired height parameter.

The figured rolling pin with a picture or an inscription is designed to decorate pastries. It is not suitable for rolling dough. The carved rolling pin with patterns is used already on the ready-for-cutting formation, it is strictly necessary to go through the tool with a pattern on the dough once. Otherwise the drawing will be broken. A patterned rolling pin can have a diverse design: from a small print for cookies to a more pronounced one for gingerbread and cakes. Thanks to such an assistant, it is possible to quickly and easily decorate any pastry.

Please note that this rolling pin is not suitable for all types of dough. If you put an ornament or drawing on a dough rising in the oven (for example, yeast), it will simply disappear. But on the sand dough pattern will remain pronounced.

Specialists call one of the best modern skallers a silicone model from the brand. Stahlberg. It is a metal base, which is stretched silicone casing. In addition to the stylish appearance, it provides the strength and functionality of the rolling pin. When working with the rolling pin of this German manufacturer does not have to make great efforts - it is enough to take up the handles and push the dough harder.The latter does not stick to the silicone, and the utensils roll out even tight layers.

If you do not yet have experience in rolling dough, but are dreaming about perfect baking, dumplings and noodles, pay attention to the model that allows you to adjust the thickness of the dough. The confidence of the buyers was won by products of such brands as Mastrad and Tescoma. The first has 3 removable rings for rolling dough for pizza, noodles and cookies. The second model does not have removable rings; special supports are used to adjust the thickness of the layer. The height of the latter is adjusted by scrolling a special valve on the rolling pin.

Both options are made of food grade plastic. The dough does not stick to the surface, the product itself is convenient to use and easy to clean. Another brand that produces quality rolling pins that regulate dough thickness is Tupperware.

For rolling puff, sand and unleavened dough, it is recommended to use a stainless steel product. "Multidom" (China). It is a classic rolling pin with polypropylene handles of bright colors. It can be attributed to the universal varieties - the length is 42 cm. But the weight of some may seem insufficient to roll out a tight dough (200 g). But thanks to the roller working cylinder, the work does not take a lot of effort.

For a dense dough, an effective rolling pin from Premier Housewares. Marble product with a wooden stand and the same handles has a length of 26 cm, and is especially effective for puff pastry.

Before buying, you need to hold the rolling pin in your hands, try rolling out an imaginary dough. You should be comfortable, the weight of the product should not lead to fatigue of the brushes.. Swipe the work surface, inspect it. It should be smooth, without chipping and hillocks. This is often the fault of manufacturers of cheap wooden skalok. If there are dents and irregularities on the metal rolling pin, this indicates improper storage of the product - most likely, the accessory was dropped.

Of course, it is important to take into account why you purchase a rolling pin. If you are looking for a versatile model, and dough infrequently, choose utensils with a length of 25-30 cm. If you often cook noodles, dumplings, cakes or cakes with thin cake layers, a half-meter assistant will be useful. And when there is not much space in the kitchen, and you often cook small pies or roll out dough for ravioli and dumplings individually, it makes sense to get a small rolling pin 7-10 cm long.

For more information about the rolling pin, see the following video.