The word ‘pie‘, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is believed to have been named ‘by association with the magpie, after its tendency to collect miscellaneous articles‘. With only a few exceptions, all the pies in this book include some sort of pastry, be it a shell, a lid or both. Unlike the pies, the tarts offered here are limited to baked pastry crusts with low sides, encasing different ingredients without any lid. Made popular in France, these elegant pastries never fail to please. Whichever recipe you try first, enjoy this time-honoured process, and you are sure to enjoy the results.