GLOP. Pie is a fantastic way to glorify the fruits of any season. Crust, with its flaky texture and slightly salty flavor compliments the filling. The "heft and calories" of crust is just the way it is. And the way it is is AMAZING.

AMEN, mehndimegs, amen.

Actually, I agree with him. I prefer cobblers and crumbles for that reason.

The crust is my favorite part. If I just wanted fruit, I'd just eat fruit. I eat pie because I love the combination of crust and all kinds of fillings.

A pie without crust is like a pizza without crust--just filling.

He forgot to mention how much glory a homemade crust adds! People always think it's terribly difficult to make and feel very honored when you bring pie.

I LOVE pie because of the crust! I EAT pie because of the crust! :)

Count me in the Bittman camp. I prefer more fruit to crust/topping ratio for the exact reason he mentions-when the fruit is this good, all the other stuff just gets in the way. I have been known to eat away at many a fruit pie and leave the crust in my wake. Give me the filling anyday.

I'm with Bittman. I've been making pumpkin "pie" without the crust and fruit cobblers for years.

Not a crust man. Then again, I'm not really a pie man since I think adding sugar to fruit should be a crime.

I'm with Bittman. The only part of the crust i like is the soggy bottom part, which has soaked up all the fruity goodness. The dry, salty, and flavorless top part of the crust? No thank you. I have never met a pie crust (fancy NYC bakery or homemade) that i thought was worth eating. In fact, most of them time i FORCE myself to eat the salty crap in order not to offend...

Is there a reason no one ever bothers to throw a bit of sugar and maybe some vanilla in a pie crust to make it less offensive (i'm not much of a baker so there may be a perfectly good reason for this).

I think the French would disagree that the crust is just adding "heft and calories". If you're just going to focus on fruit, that's okay, but just eat the fresh fruit itself. There's no need to add cream, sugar, etc. if fruit is the focus.

He's a communist! I shudder to think what a mess it would be to grab a cold slice of apple pie for breakfast, and eat it by hand, without the crust....

@mh330 - I've never had a pie crust that didn't have "a bit of sugar", unless it was a POT pie - and that's a whole 'nuther animal.

bitter and discontented

Actually, I don't like pie crust either--neither does the hubster come to think of it. I just eat the filling.

OMG I love pie crust. I agree that there are a lot of bad crusts out there, but a good homemade pie crust makes the pie.

Most pie crust is detestable to me. It's not that I hate crust. In fact, I LOVE it. I cannot stand a crust that's too thick or cakey or dry or bitter. For this reason I rarely eat store bought pies, even if they're from a real bakery.

I'll just stick with my homemade crust. The recipe changes depending on the filling and I've never served pie without oozes of compliments.

I feel like... if the crust is just adding heft and calories, then it's not a good crust! A good, well-made crust should add to the whole of the pie. This is a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts kind of thing.

I think it depends on the filling. Sometimes, a nice single or double crust complements -and compliments- a bold filling (I'm thinking of my favorite, strawberry rhubarb). Other times, a simple streusel topping is enough, especially if you don't want the extra calories. I don't think delicate fillings (texture or flavor-wise) require a crust.
I'm with DovieAnn about the store-bought pies. Those crusts are inedible.

Obviously Mr. Bittman has never tasted my homemade crust. I rarely eat pie that I didn't bake because I am a crust snob. I usually try a little flake of the crust first if I'm at a party--sorry, it sounds horrible, but I'd rather use my calories elsewhere if the crust is going to be the "tasteless, dry" mess described. My crust is flaky, delicious, and a wonderful accompaniment to the gooey pie filling. Mmmm.

I can argue for both sides: While I completely understand the point of a hefty, calorie-laden flake-fest of crust to contrast the fruit; I personally really only enjoy the gooey, mushy part of the crust that melds with the fruit. For that reason, I think I prefer cobblers and crumbles over pie. Both have their place. And as was said, if I only wanted fruit part, I'd eat fruit - not pie!

I LOVE the crust. In fact, my husband gets annoyed sometimes because when I make a pie I tend to break off the edges and nibble. That buttery, slightly salty flakes add a textural and flavor counterpoint to the soft filling. Perfect combo!

All you folks who don't eat your crusts, save 'em for me! If it's a good crust (sometimes even when it's not), I'll scoop out and eat the middle first so I can savor the crust by itself (with just a nice hint of fruit left).

Clearly Mark Bittman has never had a good pie crust. You'd think a foodie like him would understand the need for flavor and texture contrasts; the little bit of salt and the crispness of the crust set off the fruit gloriously and keep it from just being sugary glop.

I mostly like a crunchier crust with fruit pies. Thin flaky lard crusts for pumpkin and pecan pie. But mostly? I skip the crust. I, too, make pumpkin custard instead of pie. And I love a fresh fruit or fruit softened over heat with a little sweetened cream. Delicious.

But I don't hate crust. There are some really poorly made crusts out there. The trick is balancing flake and lightness with delicate crunch and enough sturdiness to stand up to fruit. Few people can achieve that.

But yeah, I've had many a pie that was more crust than fruit, and that was a pity, because the fruit is the best part!

What is the pie pictured at the top of the post? It looks like savory deliciousness...

Bittman must be a mad man. A poorly made crust is abominable, I agree. But when a pie crust is well made, it is delicious. I love a good pie when it has a good crust.
And in future, I certainly won't be looking to him for anything pie related.

Hmm, well, I think I actually agree with Bittman, though not because I'm worried about 'calories and heft.' Rather, I never use my best seasonal berries in fruit pies. I've always made fruit pies as a way of salvaging a surplus of berries that are starting to soften.

If I were looking to highlight wonderful, fresh berries right off the vine I'd make Berries in Cream or use them as a topping for ice cream or even just eat them plain. Baking such fresh bounty into a pie is kind of a waste, in my opinion.

Love crust, his glop looks mostly unappetizing. However, since I am lazy, I will try them out!

I prefer the filling in most pies but I will eat the crust if it is tasty (the gooey bottom part you get on some pies is delicious). I usually end up just eating the filling and just scrape it out of the crust on most pies. I'm a crisp and cobbler girl myself really.

Streusel topping is the best thing ever! YES it adds calories and heft. Sweet, sweet, buttery sugary calories and heft. Mm.

That said, a good pie crust is nothing to sneeze at either, but it's often too much trouble for me when I'm grabbing a dessert to bring to a friend's or something. Cobblers and crumbles all the way.

What the hell Bittman?? If you don't like pie, don't eat it, and don't tell everyone how pie crust sucks just based on your proclivities.

If you find yourself not eating the crust when served a piece of pie then why on earth do you order or agree to a piece of pie? Why bother with baked fruit desserts at all? If the quality of fruit is front and center just eat the damn fruit.

I don't like sardines but I don't piss and moan about how many people dig ceaser salads.

Sorry, I get emotional about pie.

I think crust is why I like pie. Cobbler, I want a doughy topping...oh Yum!

Likewise....how does he feel about frosting on a cake???

If my mom made the crust, it is well worth the "heft and calories." In fact, there's very little in the way of "heft." But my mom's crust left me with almost impossibly high standards (hell I can't make a crust like that). Rather have a fruit crisp than a fruit pie, rather have a bowl of chocolate pudding than a chocolate pie. Unless a true crust master made the pie.

@DonnaEmerson: Ha!

The crust is the best part, no doubt! I actually would rather just eat crust than sickly sweet, syrupy fruit filling. Plain, fresh fruit with some flakey crust served on the side so it doesn't get all soggy and gross would be my ideal!

Not genius... what better to bring out the creamy tart and sweet melt in your mouth gloriousness of a baked apple than a buttery flakey tender crust with just a little bit of salt, topped with crunchy turbinado sugar?

If you want to showcase some excellent fruit, you don't need to lose the crust. You just need to lose the over-spicing. Cool it with the cinnamon!

I think it really depends. I've had several pies where the crust really is just to hold the filling and adds nothing to the texture or taste. In fact, it can even detract. I've really never seen the point of crust for chocolate pies and the like. But, with a fresh fruit pie, if the crust is homemade and well done, it can be very delicious. Same with streusel: sometimes it's just added for no reason and does nothing to compliment the fruit and other times it's divine.

And he does have a point about the calories: a crust turns what could be a modest, reasonable weekday dessert into a special occasion indulgence.

I'd take a mediocre pie with a mediocre crust over a bowl full of cooked fruit (even with crumble or streusel topping) any day. But, a good crust, that's more than "calories and heft" - it's an amazing synergy of textural contrast. Also, as a rule, I find eating any kind of sweet thing without a hefty amount of attendant fat to be sort of gross. The crust brings fat and fat transforms the sweetness of the filling from monotonous and cloying to balanced and delicious.

I usually eat pie as a way to get crust into my mouth. (Which would figure since I'm always drawn to the most unhealthy things!) I should really take his advice and just eat the fruit. ;)

Whatever. All you need is one perfect apple pie and then you know how good the crust is. You can't have pie without crust! And who would want to live a life without pie?

Being British, I can agree. I just don't get pie. Of course, we're into our pies but not the same degree as Americans. A pie contest here would be laughable. I'd need to taste a reeeally good one to be convinced its not worth getting rid of the crust all together and simply making a tart of it.

crust is the best part of the pie, and, in fact, the most difficult part to successfully make from scratch. his comments sound like they're coming from someone who sucks at making pastry. mark bittman - more like mark bitter.

another vote for the crust is the best part! but to each their own.

@jaygarf: My thoughts exactly.

A pie without crust is like a cake without frosting, a woman without makeup, or a rose bush with no flowers.

If you only like the filling, just eat the filling. No one's forcing you to eat the crust. To state that the crust offers nothing but heft and calories shows how little he understands food, the play of textures, the complexity of contrasting yet complimentary flavors, the epitome of dessert that is pie.

love me some homemade pie crust.

It isn't just about eating the pie, it's about making it. I feel at my most grounded when I'm rolling out pie crust. Throwing a bunch of fruit in a dish is something anyone with a recipe can do. Making a perfect pie, however, is an art.

Crust is heaven. Normally I'm onboard with just about everything Bittman has to say and if HE is not a crust person, that's his personal taste and he's welcome to it. But a personal opinion is not a fact. I love crust.

I'm not a pie person but when I do have some it's the crust that I enjoy. My mother made a nice pie crust. She used to take the dough scraps, roll them out, cut into squares, prick with a fork, sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on top and bake. Oh my, that was my favorite part of the pie.

I'm not great at pie crust, but cobbler is so easy, delicious, warm and crispy. It never disappoints and is always slightly different.
But peaches have been so good this summer, I've preferred them uncooked with some low fat Greek yogurt and some crunchy granola on top.

I think we all are forgetting one thing: graham cracker crust. MMMMMMhmmmmmmmmm.

I'm not into pie crust, though I do like crumb crusts (or those made with crushed nuts). I really prefer crumbles.

When it comes to pizza, though, the crust is the most important part. The rest is just a bonus.

I'd have to agree with Mr Bittman. I prefer French-style fruit tarts - they look nicer, too.

I love fruit tarts (French-style--sandy crust, pastry/almond cream, fruit, apricot glaze) but would never, ever pick pie if given a choice of desserts. I don't think that the textures of crust and fruit complement each other well. I like tarts because the crunch provides a nice contrast. I think that tarts also tend to be shallower, so there's less of the drier edge crust).

No matter how you all feel, the fact of the matter is that pie is a declining category in food retail. People are eating less of it. I love it, too, but it is moribund.

You need the salty flaky buttery crust to contrast with the tart and sweet fruit goo. Just like you need the creamy whipped cream on top :). I usually think Bittman is a genius but I have to disagree here.

I understand Bittman's agenda, but wonder if his approach winds up being counter-productive. I'm with him, though, mostly because pie gives me a tummy ache and I adore crisps for their emphasis on fruit while the topping plays second fiddle.

I've only recently started coming around to (fruit) pie. I love fruit. LOVE it. Pie filling is often too sweet. Good fresh fruit is so awesome on its own it seems a shame to drown it in sugar and bury it in crust. I've always preferred crumbles and crisps, something with a nutty or whole grain bite (can't wait to try Bittman's Corn and Blueberry Crisp at the link!). That said, a nice, thin flaky crust can be divine, and really take a filling to a whole 'nother level. And I'm a lifelong fan of pumpkin pie and ice cream/whipped cream pies in oreo cookie crusts. I'm also turning more often to savory pies/tarts.

Pie crust is gross unless you make it yourself- I wasnt really a pie person until I met a friend qho taught me how. The extra effort leaves you with this flaky amazing glorious bit of wonder carbs. Now I prefer pie over cake. Except supermarket pie and cake, which is uniformly gross.

I made Bittman's Sweet peach- tomato crisp twice! It's great this time of year. Serve warm with some blue cheese, goat cheese or vanilla ice cream. This recipe is a foodie crowd pleaser.