Here's Pie in Your Eye Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pastilla

Pastilla is a traditional Berber pie that originated in Morocco. It is also know as Bistilia or Bisteeya. Ingredients include young pigeons, which are said to be quite tasty, flaky dough, and grounds almonds, cinnamon and sugar. It is believed these pies were a favoured treat by the ruling Sultans of this African country.

Answer: Black bottom pie

Black bottom pie consists of a cracker crust, a pastry cream or pudding filling, and topped by meringue or whipped cream. It is not named after the dance of the same name from the 1920s as some people mistakenly believe, but after the dark and swampy lowland stretches of the Mississippi river instead.

Answer: Bridie

Bridie pie comes to us from the town of Forfar in Angus, Scotland. Its very basic ingredients also include butter, onions and salt and pepper - sounds quite yummy. These pies were once very popular at Scottish weddings and quite possibly still are. If one hole is poked in the top of the Bridie, this means it comes without onions. Two holes, though, indicate their presence.

Answer: Chinese pie

This French-Canadian pie, which is very similar to Shepherd's pie, is not a Chinese recipe at all, but given its exotic name because it was made by Chinese cooks during the building of the great railway routes in Canada during the late 1800s. Those chefs didn't come up with the ingredients though.

They simply followed the orders to create same by their bosses, who, at that time, were mostly from England. Usually served with pickled eggs, Chinese pie, which was also known as pate chinois by the French Canadians, sounds very nourishing and filling for those hard working labourers.

Answer: Coulibiac

The Russian created coulibiac has either salmon or sturgeon flesh, rice (or buckwheat), mushrooms and onions. A fish pie doesn't sound terribly appealing, but this one is said to be so delicious that a visiting chef took the recipe back to France with him and introduced it there. I wonder if they eat frog's legs or snail pies in that country as well.

A five star version of the coubiliac comes with layers of white fish and rice on top, and with layers of salmon and sturgeon underneath. If you like fish, then it's a treat.

Answer: Flipper pie

Oh my goodness, please don't be offended, but I simply could not eat this pie. I'd want to balance a ball on my nose. Originating in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, this pie, consisting of seal flippers, is usually eaten during the months of April and May.

These are the months that the annual hunt of harp or saddleback seals are carried out in those areas. Between 1950 and 1970, more than 300,000 seals were killed annually in these hunts, leading to their population declining rather drastically.

Answer: Homity pie

Homity pie originates from Devon in England, so it is commonly referred to as Devon pie as well. It appears to have been created during the Second World War when beef was severely rationed in that nation. Basically, its a filling of onion, potatoes and leek, in a pastry base, which is then topped with cheese. I'm becoming remarkably hungry at present, but can't imagine why.

Answer: Melton Mowbray pie

Isn't uncured pork flesh a health threat? This popular pie was created in Leicestershire in the 1800s for fox hunters who came home hot, thirsty and hungry after the thrill of having their hounds rip a little cornered fox to shreds. Because, the pork flesh is uncured and mixed in with the fat of pork as well, it gives the meat a grey and rather unappealing look.

Another version of this pie today, usually referred to as plain old pork pie, is made with pork fat and cured pork flesh this time - but this then gives the meat a raw and pink appearance. I think I'd rather eat the fox myself.

Answer: Pasty

Cornish pasties have been around since the 1860s and their ingredients of beef, turnips, potatoes, salt and pepper in a pastry case provide a very nourishing meal in one. This was particularly the case for those extremely hard working miners from that part of the world in earlier days, with an interesting fact related to same.

When the pasties were created for them, they came with a thick rolled edge around the top crust. This was never eaten, but used as a type of handle by the miners, because it absorbed the arsenic in the soil that darkened their hands.

Answer: Stargazy pie

This pie is an acquired taste, mainly one suspects because one has to first get past the image of the pilchard head and tails that are deliberately pulled out to decorate the surface of the pie. They appear to be gazing up at the sky, hence this pie's unusual name.

Other ingredients include egg and potatoes. The story behind this pie is that many years ago during a dreadful storm in Cornwall, one brave fisherman went out into the storm to catch enough fish to feed the people in his village. This he did, and to prove to the consumers that there were indeed fish and not some other suspects ingredients in each pie, the heads and tails of the pilchards contained within were poked through the top of each.