Classic Southern Sweet Potato Pie With Roasted Potatoes

Classic Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Roasted sweet potatoes give this Southern-style pie a smooth, lightly spiced filling inside a single pastry crust. Measure the cooked potato flesh before mixing the filling: raw potatoes vary in size and yield. In the oven, look for set edges and a slight wobble at the center. The filling will firm up as the pie cools.

Yield: One 9-inch pie, 8 slices. Time: About 4 to 4 1/2 hours, including cooling; allow extra time to chill for neater slices.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie

• About 1 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (680g), enough for 2 cups mashed cooked flesh (about 450g)
• 1 unbaked standard 9-inch pastry pie crust
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (about 55g), melted and slightly cooled
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Measure the Sweet Potatoes After Roasting

Buy about 1 1/2 pounds of raw sweet potatoes, then use exactly 2 cups of mashed, cooked flesh in the filling. If the potatoes yield more, set the extra aside rather than adding it to the pie.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

1. Roast the sweet potatoes: Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Prick the potatoes with a fork and place them on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 50 to 65 minutes, checking from 50 minutes, until a knife slides easily through the centers.
2. Measure and mash: Let the potatoes cool enough to handle, then remove the skins. Measure 2 cups of flesh and mash thoroughly, leaving no large lumps. Let it cool until warm rather than hot so it does not begin cooking the eggs during mixing.
3. Prepare the crust: Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and let it reach that temperature. Fit the unbaked crust into a standard 9-inch pie plate and set the plate on a baking sheet for easier transfer.
4. Mix the filling: Whisk the measured sweet potato with the butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined with no visible egg streaks. Pour into the crust and smooth the top.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered on the baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes, checking from 45 minutes. The outer filling should be set and the center should wobble slightly when the plate is gently moved, not ripple like liquid. If the crust edge darkens too quickly, shield it loosely with foil. Rotate the pie once if your oven browns unevenly.
6. Cool and chill: Cool on a wire rack until no longer warm, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Refrigerate promptly, then chill before cutting into 8 slices for the neatest portions.

How to Tell When the Pie Is Done

The center need not look completely firm when the pie leaves the oven. If it moves like liquid, bake a little longer and check again; baking too far past a slight wobble can leave the filling dry or cracked. Ovens and pie plates affect timing, so use the filling’s movement rather than the clock as the final guide.

Serving and Storing Sweet Potato Pie

Serve the pie chilled or after a brief period out of the refrigerator. Add a small dollop of unsweetened whipped cream to individual slices if desired. For individual portions made as a separate recipe, see these mini sweet potato pies.

Once the pie is cool, cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. It can be baked a day ahead; reheating is not necessary. Do not leave this egg-and-milk pie out overnight.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per slice (1/8 of the pie): 325 calories, 5g protein, 15g fat, and 43g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g: 260 calories, 4g protein, 12g fat, and 34g carbohydrates. Values exclude optional whipped cream and vary with the crust used and moisture lost during baking.