Blind-baking is used to develop a crust's crispiness, and help it from getting soggy under the burden of a very liquidy filling. If the crust of the pie requires much more cooking than the chosen filling, it may also be blind-baked before the filling is added and then only briefly cooked or refrigerated.

Pie fillings range in size from tiny bitesize party pies or small tartlets, to single-serve pies (e.g. cornish pasty) and larger pies baked in a dish and eaten by the slice. The type of pasty used is matched to the filling, but it is generally either a butter-rich flaky or puff pastry, or a sturdy shortcrust pastry.

Small pies are a popular form of takeaway food in Australia, with the most ubiquitous brand being Four'n'twenty. Many bakeries and specialty stores sell gourmet pies for the most discriminating customer. A peculiarity of Adelaide cuisine is the Pie floater.

Like dumplings, many cultures have independently discovered pies as a useful and delicious way to utilize otherwise useless ingredients left over in the household.

Savoury pie recipes include:

• Beef pot pie
• Cornish pasty
• Chicken pot pie
• Stargazy pie
• Steak and kidney pie
• Shepherd's pie
• Turkey pot pie

• Apple pie
• Banana cream pie
• Blackberry pie
• Blueberry pie
• Cherry pie
• Chocolate cream pie
• Coconut cream pie
• Dutch apple pie
• Key lime pie
• Lemon meringue pie
• Mixed berry pie
• Peach pie
• Pecan pie
• Pickle pie
• Pumpkin pie
• Sour cream raisin pie
• Strawberry-rhubarb pie

• All-purpose pie crust

In Vodun, Pie is a soldier-loa who lived at the bottoms of lakes and rivers and caused floods.