The dough of a grandma pie is given only a short period of time to proof and stretched in an olive-oil lined pan. Meanwhile, the olive oil in the pan crisps up the crust on the bottom layer and gives it the flavor of fried bread.
The traditional recipe for a grandma pie cals for the cheese to be applied directly on top of the dough, followed by the sauce. However, many shops prefer to follow the more typical order, with the sauce going underneath the cheese.