The short answer is, 'yes'. We've come a long way from the early days to today.
A Brief Pie History of Pies:
Pie making can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Early Egyptian pies were flat and more like what we know as galettes. Greeks very likely produced the first pie pastry, which was used more for preserving meats than offering tasty pastry treats.
It's the Romans who took the Greek concept of pastry and developed it from utilitarian to culinary enjoyment and pastry use spread along with Roman conquests and colonizations.
Early pies were meat and poultry based. It wasn't until the Renaissance that sweet pies made with fruit began to emerge. That's likely because of the increased availability of sugar, influencing the composition of pies.
Pies were brought to America by the first English settlers and began incorporating
American native ingredients such as pumpkins, pecans, maple syrup and cranberries.
Pie Crusts for Us All:
Pies are one of my absolute favorite things to make and to eat. Â Even packaged and premade gluten-free pie crust can contain ingredients unsafe for many of is. With so few ingredients in a traditional pastry pie crust, and many of them common allergens, one can either avoid or dive head in and tackle the challenge.
My favorite, basic pastry crust recipe is one I adapted from King Arthur Baking and use it for all kinds of savory and sweet pies.
If you know anyone who loves pies and has reasons to avoid traditional pie crusts, share this with them and comment if you or they give it a try.
Happy Bendy Baking!
For a fun read of pie history, check out this resource;