What is the reason pastry is rested in the fridge?

ashanti, Jun 13, 10:56pm
Does it make it easier to roll out?
pericles, Jun 13, 10:57pm
There is an old saying that cold hands make good pastry. The first golden rule of making shortcrust pastry is keep the ingredients, the bowl and the hands as cool as possible. When the pastry mixture becomes too warm the end result is a greasy and/or heavy dull finished pastry crust.
cookessentials, Jun 13, 11:09pm
If it is a short pastry especially. One reason why many chefs also use a marble or stainless steel rolling pin and a marble slab for pastry work as it is nice and cool. Chilled pastrey is far easier to work with, especially if it has a high butter content.
245sam, Jun 13, 11:10pm
Yes. Chilling the pastry allows the gluten in the flour to relax and prevents shrinkage when the pastry is baked. :-))
buzzy110, Jun 13, 11:14pm
Google is your friend.

"If the pastry is chilled, it is much easier to work with while rolling out, etc, and keeps it from being too sticky, requiring more flour (which would make it tough). Also, if it is chilled before putting in the oven, it creates steam, which helps the crust to be more tender and flaky. "
ashanti, Jun 13, 11:27pm
thanks very much everyone, mystery solved.
holdenss, Jun 14, 3:50am
And just to add:
Helps maintain the layering effect in flakey pastry, Fat/dough/fat/dough. in warmer conditions the fat is absorbed through the dough rendering the pastry useless for flakey pastry(layers)