The pies have it

BLAST FROM PAST-RY IS SERVED

- MEG JORSH

Bake like an Egyptian: The ancient Egyptians were first to invent a dish close to the modern pie. They filled crusty cakes made from oats, wheat, rye or barley with honey to create a sweet and portable treat in around 2,500BC.

Pastry party: Pastry is thought to have been an ancient Greek invention, emerging around 500BC. The dough-based creation is mentioned in the plays of Aristophanes.

Shut your pie hole: The Romans loved a pie, but not in the same way we do now. They used to pack meat in a pastry made of flour, oil and water - but this was intended to preserve the flavour, not to be eaten.