The idea that you have never heard the term "pizza pie" before seems crazy to me. Unless you're not from a native English speaking country?

@mooseymcman: Nope, that's why it's very confusing to me at the moment. Years of eating pizzas without ever hearing "pizza" and "pie" in the same sentence.

@audiobusting:

I've struggled with this question all my life. Yes, I guess they are. But if someone tells me "Hey lets get a pie." My first thought is pumpkin or apple, I never assume what they're talking about is pizza.

I've never heard of Pizza's being referred to as pie's here in sweden, and I myself don't agree with that likeness. There's a very specific difference between a pie and a pizza.

I thought Pizza was Italian for Pie. Not sure though. What I am sure of is that pizzas are pies.

@mooseymcman: That was the song used (with different lyrics) in McDonald's TV ads here, when I started hearing people call pizzas as pies! What a strange coincidence!

Isn't that a regional thing?

I'm from the UK, and I've only ever heard pizzas called pies by Americans - no-one does that here.Pizzas have bases and toppings, pies are closed and have pastry (unless we're talking fish pie or shepard's pie, of course). To be honest, a shepard's pie probably has as little to do with a "normal" pie as a pizza pie does. Names are stupid...

The only time I've ever heard them called pies is in the song "That's amore" and even then I think that dude just made it up to make something rhyme with eye.

Pizza Pie

and with the stuff they do with them in Asia yeah its a pie

But Shepard's, Cottage and Fish Pie all at the least have a covering of mashed potato, whereas pizza has none at all. I've never head the term over here in the UK as you say, we're far more likely to call it pretentious like a 'Stonebaked ciabatta mozzeralla' (which, btw, me and a buddy totally found a frozen one called this, it's now a running joke between us) or something else of that variety.

even thin crust pizza are considered Pie

Someone should make a pizza pie. That would be delicious. A pizza enclosed in pastry. Because it's in pastry you could have like tons of toppings on the pizza. Far more than you'd normally have.

Quick, someone teach me how to make pastry. I have to make this a reality.

It's a regional thing. I almost never hear the term pie used in reference to pizza in California unless it's being said by someone from the East Coast.

@mattyftm: You can just buy premade pie crusts, fill it with pizza goodness.

Pizza is "bread" with toppings. It's made with a yeast dough. Traditional pie is filling enveloped by shortcrust pastry (or in some cases just mashed potatoes). If anything you could compare Chicago style pizza to pies, but they still use yeast dough which is very different. A pie crust is supposed to be lighty and flaky(which both shortcrust pastry and mashed potatoes are), while a pizza crust is supposed to be more robust and have some "chew" to it.

@mattyftm: It's pretty easy, it's just flour, fat(butter or shortening) and a little bit of water. Good luck picking up a slice of a pizza made with pie crust though =) Might as well just make a meat pie.

Technically yes, although I don't call pizzas pies.

Technically yes. But i'll still call you an asshole if you call a pizza a pie.

It's like calling a burger a sandwich. Technically i guess it's a sandwich, but don't call it one.

Yes but I don't call it that, pizzas are just pizzas

While pies are often completely encased in pastry, often it's just a pastry lid. Also, considering the potato covered Shepherd's Pie ( and similar others) are also considered pies, this means that a pie must have a substantial lid / topping of some sort.

Therefore, pizzas are upside down pies.

I live in New York, and everyone calls them pies. That said, they aren't actually, "pies" that's just what they're called. Kinda like a Koala Bear isn't actually a bear, it's just a name.

When you go to a pizzeria in New York you say, "Can I get a regular pie, another pie, half-pepperoni, and a calzone."

Pie is probably used more often than pizza I'd say. Most people here actually don't say, "Can I get a large cheese pizza" like in the ninja turtles movies.

My source? I worked in a pizzeria for 7 years.

For those of you squawking about "pies must have lids" I present to you the Pecan Pie:

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie

THAT'S AMORE...

MOTHERFUCKERS :P

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pie?s=t

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pizza?s=t

Mostly false? What is wrong with you savages. Just because it doesn't have fruit filling doesn't mean it's not a pie.

I'm not sure all pizzas are pies though. Chicago style is maybe more like a cake? I'd take a pizza cobbler as well.

No.

I could see deep dish pizza's being "pies" but the classic pizza is more like an open face sandwich to me.

@giantlizardking: Did you say pizza cake?

This is true. When I moved to the NYC area I had to adapt to new pizza parlance. I think my understanding of the distinction is this: in New Yorkese, there is no such thing as 'a pizza'. Pizza is non-quantified noun, like water. A pie is the shape the pizza comes in. A pizza pie is basically a 'pie of pizza', sort of like you'd ask for a 'bottle of water'. So if you order a pizza, a lot of parlors will clarify that you want a whole pie. Additionally, in New York, there is no such thing as a 'piece of pizza', there are only slices. I had a colleague (also new to the area) order a 'piece of cheese' at a pizza place and they gave her a Kraft single.

EDIT: I should also clarify that her order was wrong in two ways, because there is also no such thing as cheese pizza in New York. It is known as 'Regular' or 'Plain'. So the correct order would be "Give me a regular slice"

Pizza is totally a pie, how is it losing the poll?

Pretty sure it's just nomenclature.

Just like how here in New England we have grinders (or subs), but in Pittsburgh they are known as hoagies.

And in Westchester County, NY they are called wedges.

You guys probably know them as SANDWICHES.

If someone said "Hey lets go out for a pie" I'd say "Ok lets get apple pie." Not "Ok I'm up for a 'roni 'za!"

Only if you say it in a bad Italian accent.

Perhaps I'm just too bored, but I found this pretty funny.

I'm OK with pizzas technically being pies, I'm just not OK with calling a pizza a pie on a regular basis.

How is this even a question? A pie is made from pastry*. A pizza is made with 'bread'. Even a simpleton knows this.

(Sheperd'ss pie etc aren't truly pies either)

Pies by definition have a flaky buttery/lard/suet pastry dough crusts. Pizza is closer to a bread dough which is water, flour, yeast, salt...ex: Neapolitan pizza is made from a lean dough—no oil, no sugar, nothing else. NYC pizza is Neapolitan with some olive oil and a tiny amount of sugar to give the yeast more to eat...thus puffer and more bread like in texture. Sicilian-Style Dough more oil, a bit thinner/wetter, and often cooked in a pan drenched in more olive oil so the bottom is practically fried.

Pie and pizza have very little in common...just weird use of common English.

Pizzas are not pies. But the term "Pizza Pie" is acceptable because it's delightful and charming. And because Dean Martin.

I think the bigger question is why is cheese cake, which is clearly built on top of a crust, not referred to as cheese pie?

The main characteristic of a pie is that the base is raised at the edges to contain the filling(s). If it doesn't have a wall, it is not a pie. I don't care if all of the other conditions are met. A deep dish pizza could be considered a pie, but not a thin crust pizza. A pie has fillings; a thin crust pizza has toppings.

I feel like I either heard this being discussed on the Bombcast before or at least I feel like they definitely have talked about this in a podcast I may not have heard yet...

I voted Tralse, obviously but the real answer is No.

I demand pizza justice for pizza pies!

There is a place in Dallas called Fireside Pies, and it's just an upscale pizza restaurant where older folks, trying to cling onto lost coolness, go to eat. Hope that helps.

Some pizzas are pies. Not all.

@oldguy said:

For those of you squawking about "pies must have lids" I present to you the Pecan Pie:

Squawk. That's a flan.

Just kidding, open top pies are a real thing.

@oldguy said:

For those of you squawking about "pies must have lids" I present to you the Pecan Pie:

Indeed. Likewise for Pumpkin pie. Seldom do pumpkin pies have lids.

I hear old dudes order "two pies with pepperoni and sausage" occasionally.

I think pizza requires having some sort of underlying sauce. Whether that be tomato sauce or chocolate for a desert pizza or something, it's something that is spread on the base with possibly other ingredients on top. Pies have more of a solid or mushing filling (pumpkin pie and pecan for example).

Therefore, I dictate pizzas are in fact NOT pies. Pizzas are pizzas and pies are pies.

@jesus_phish: Excellent. You have a pizza cobbler? Love pizza. Love cobblers.