I'm looking for chefs and pastry experts to provide commentary and tips on making pie crust – specifically focusing on common mistakes that could ruin pie crust, and how to avoid them. This includes overworking the dough; not chilling the dough; using warm butter and water; and adding the wrong amount of liquid.

I enjoy baking when I have time. I've learned various techniques about making good pie crust over the years, mostly that you need to keep a few basics in mind and not make common errors that can mess it up. In my experience, the worst thing you can do is work the dough too much. The more you mess with it, the harder it gets, so I quit mixing as soon as the dough sticks together. Another simple mistake is skipping the chilling step that rest time keeps the butter cold, which makes the crust flaky. If your butter or water is warm, your crust will be hard, so I always make sure my stuff is cold before I begin. Also, go easy on the water. I only add enough to hold the dough; too much liquid makes it sticky and heavy. Pie crust might seem simple, but like any training, it gets better results if you're patient, careful, and pay attention to what you're doing.