Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie is something that I always associate with Thanksgiving and my brother. My Nana would always make my brother a sweet potato pie for our Thanksgiving dinner at her house when we were younger. He has always preferred pie to cakes and something we used to have on our menu when my grandma would cook more often.

Recently, Aric had told me that he had never had a sweet potato pie. So to get in the Thanksgiving mood, I chose to whip this cousin of a pumpkin pie up!

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked pie shell, large enough for a 9-inch crust
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Prepare the pie shell in a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
2. To prepare the pie filling, score the sweet potatoes with a paring knife several times. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until they are tender. You can either check to see if the potatoes are done with either a knife or a fork.
3. Set the potatoes aside to cool. Once they are thoroughly cooled, peel them carefully, removing all of the skin.
4. Place the peeled potatoes in either a food processor or blender with the 1 cup of half and half. Process them until they are smooth and there are no lumps.
5. Place the puree in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and egg yolk, the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
6. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350ºF. Continue to bake for 30 minutes or until the pie is firm in the middle.
7. Place the pie on a wire cooling rack for at least 1-1/2 hours before serving.
8. Sweet potato pie should be served at room temperature or cold. It should be covered and can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Sweet Potato Pie

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Score a couple of sweet potatoes with a paring knife and throw on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Let cool completely, then peel the skin off of the potatoes.

Place the peeled potatoes in either a blender or food processor with 1 cup of half and half. Blend until there are no lumps. Place puree in a mixing bowl.

Add some granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and egg yolk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Mix until well combined and smooth.

Prepare the pie shell in a 9-inch pie plate.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the shell.

Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350ºF. Continue baking for 30 minutes or until the pie is firm in the middle.

Cool at room temperature for at least 1-1/2 hours prior to serving.

I prefer my sweet potato pie cold, but it can be served at room temperature as well.

Sweet potato pie can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.