One historical use for pies besides eating was as a kind of container or preservation case, where the crust was not meant to be eaten at all but to protect the food inside during storage or travel.

Quick Scoop

  • In ancient Rome and medieval Europe, very hard pastry “coffins” or “coffyns” were baked to hold meat or fish, keeping in the juices and extending how long the filling stayed usable.
  • Sailors and travelers stacked these tough, inedible pie cases for long journeys, using them like portable food boxes rather than treats.
  • Some early pies were even made in non-edible “reeds” or containers whose sole job was to hold the filling, not to be served as part of the meal.

In other words, one big historical use of pies was as a practical storage and transport tool , not just something tasty on a plate.