Global Pies: Delightful Blend of Sweet and Savory Traditions
Filling Your Plate (And Hands) with the Wonders of Pie:
No matter what part of the globe you hail from, there's a universal love for a delectable, baked, and stuffed pastry treat. Every 14th of March, we celebrate this culinary joy as Pi Day, honoring the mathematical constant π's first three digits (3.1415...). Beyond its mathematical significance, it serves as a flimsy, albeit scrumptious, excuse to party!
Classic American apple and cherry varieties may spring to mind when you hear the word 'pie.' But these delightful desserts and savory delights are just a tip of the iceberg. From Florida to the Philippines and countless other locations, the pie realm is laden with an assortment of sweet and savory treasures!
Throughout history, pastries filled with honey, nuts, and fruit were popular in Egypt, while Greeks and Romans gobbled up free-form pies busting with both sweet and savory goodness. Over time, the wide world of pie has just kept growing. Give these international pie sensations a try when globe-trotting, or whip them up in your very own kitchen!
Meat Pies
In ancient Rome, the inaugural meat pies served as containers to keep meat tender, with the dough being discarded. It wasn't until folks caught on to the delightful idea of munching on the crust and the meat that the concept took flight.
The Brits and their colonies seem to have perfected the art of meat pies with selections like luscious steak and ale pie or the hearty French-Canadian tourtière, filled with ground pork and traditionally served during Christmas.
Down under in Australia and New Zealand, these scrumptious double-crust pies are compact, single-serving meals, often brimming with beef and gravy. Picture-perfect and packing a powerful punch of flavor!
Handheld meat pies have gained popularity worldwide, with variations like Jamaican beef patties, Nigerian meat pies, and empanadas gracing tables across the map.
Savory Pies
Among the birthplaces of pie, Greek cuisine boasts an assortment of both sweet and savory pies to tantalize your taste buds. Spanakopita, hortopita, tiropita, and maridopita are just a few examples of the mouthwatering offerings from this Mediterranean gem.
Sweet and Savory Pies
Initially, meat pies ruled the roost, but their spices bridged the gap between sweet and savory. Pastilla, a spiced Moroccan pie that includes poultry, almonds, and eggs, is one such example. Though traditional versions include pigeon or squab, chicken pies have become a more common choice in modern times.
American sweet corn custard pie blurs the lines between dessert and main course, offering a glorious union of corn kernels and custard or chess pie filling.
Fruit Pies
Whether it's a tree, bush, or vine, if it's fruity and ripe, it can be transformed into an exquisite pie. Fruit pies are an outstanding way to enjoy the bounty of each season!
In North America, rhubarb, Concord grape, persimmon, and apple pies are traditional favorites that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Sweet Pies
Cravings for creamy fillings can find delight in optional pie selections. Try Filipino buko pie, a Laguna province specialty, comprising strips of young coconut suspended in a creamy coconut custard.
Savor British Banoffee pie, a no-bake classic introduced in the 1970s by the chef of The Hungry Monk restaurant. This indulgent treat features bananas, toffee sauce, and a crunchy biscuit or graham cracker crust.
Key lime pie and Atlantic Beach pie from Florida and North Carolina, respectively, offer tangy, citrusy twists on the pie experience.
- In the 1820s, the concept of eating the dough itself as part of a meat pie became popular, marking a departure from the ancient Roman practice of discarding the dough wrapper.
- Aside from the various meat pies that can be found across the globe, the Philippines offers unique sweet pies like buko pie, made with strips of young coconut suspended in a creamy coconut custard.
- Despite the popularity of sweet and savory pies across different cultures, fruit pies remain a traditional favorite in North America, with apple, Concord grape, persimmon, and rhubarb pies being passed down from generation to generation.
