I call everything a pie but still get moaned at by my lovely wife . So I decided to find out What Sort of Pie is a Pie. Surprisingly there are only 4 main types of pie and I have listed them below with a description and recipe examples.
I have also discovered the official difference between a Pie and a Tart for which I had no idea. That is listed as the bottom of the page.
Open Face Pies
Open face Pies are pies which only have a crust on the bottom and not a lid. these include dishes such as Lemon Meringue Pie or a Pumpkin Pie. This category includes pies both sweet and savoury.
Double Crust Pies
Double Crust Pies as the name implies have both a pastry base and top. Examples of these include Bacon and Egg Pie or a Salmon and Herb Puff Pastry Pie.
Lattice Pies
Lattice Pies are decorative pies which have a pastry base but also have a lattice of pastry, being strips on top of the filling. These can be crisscrossed going above and below or one direction below and another above. However you can also have a far more confusing yet totally impressive herringbone design. Try our Fruit Lattice Pie for amazing flavour and very simple method.
Deep Dish Pies
Deep Dish Pies are probably one of the more popular types of pies with dishes such as Chicken Pot Pie and Beef and Ale Pie.
Pies vs Tarts – The Differences
Pies
A pie is a sweet or savoury dish with a crust and a filling. The sides of a pie dish or pan are sloped. A pie can be anyone of the four types listed above. Open, Double Crust, Lattice and Deep Dish. Traditionally, a pie crust is made using flour, salt, cold water and a fat of some sort. This could be just butter or a mixture of lard, shortening and butter. Also, pies are normally served straight from the baking dish dish.
Tarts
A tart can be a sweet or savoury dish with only a crust on the bottom. Tart crusts are usually made flour, unsalted butter, cold water, and possibly sugar depending on the recipe. The goal is a firm, crumbly crust. Tarts are baked in a pan but are usually removed prior to serving. These include Bakewell Tart and Asparagus and Tomato Tarts.