It's time we had a vote to decide this issue once and for all
It's the question that has divided the nation:
Is putting a pastry lid on a casserole/stew enough to make it a pie or does the filling need to be entirely encased in pastry?
Pies that have a pastry lid - but not pastry sides and bottom - are known as 'pot pies' and many people believe they aren't actually real pies at all.
This dispute has gone on long enough, it's time for the public to decide:
Over 5,000 people feel so strongly about the issue that they've signed a petition calling on the government to "make describing a a casserole with a pastry lid as a pie a criminal offence".
If 100,000 people sign the petition, it must be considered for debate in Parliament.
We've sought expert advice and the people on the side of pie purity might be in for an unpleasant surprise -
"A pie can be a number of things," says Tristan Hogg, co-founder of pie company Pieminister.
"We produce traditional pies but think about it, some don’t even have pastry like shepherd’s pie.
"As long as people buy them as pies, they’re pies. People are very loyal about this but food changes."
Backing up this view are celebrity chefs including Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver, who happily refer to pastry-lidded stews in a way the petitioners would like to make illegal.
