Problem: The pie dough ripped while you were rolling it out. You patted it back together, but the top of the pie now resembles a patchwork quilt.

Solution: Hide your handiwork. Lightly brush the dough with ice water, sprinkle it generously with granulated or turbinado (coarse) sugar, and press gently so the crystals adhere. Then bake as usual. No one will ever know that a rip is lurking beneath the sweet, shimmering surface.

Next Time: Rips occur when pastry dough lacks moisture, food scientist Shirley O. Corriher says. When dough has been rolled and starts to tear, she suggests brushing the surface lightly with water, folding it in half twice to form a quarter-circle, then wrapping the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerating it for an hour. Then unfold and reroll it on a lightly floured surface. If it sticks to the countertop, roll it out onto plastic or parchment paper. And keep in mind that pie dough is like a canine in one important respect: It can sense fear.