Sweet Potato Pie

Hey Everyone!

I am so excited to share this recipe with all of you. I may be bias, but I believe my grandmother (Mama) makes the BEST sweet potato pie - hands down! I enjoyed going over to my grandparents during the holidays because I’d get to shadow my grandmother in the kitchen as she’d make pies for family, friends, church members and her neighbors. Sometimes my job was to stir & was a proud taste tester. 

Recently, I have been craving her pies. However, due to the current pandemic, I am unable to go over and get one. So now was as good as a time as any to make one (or two) myself.

Small problem though... When I called Mama to get the recipe she said she didn’t have one. That she learned by watching her grandmother (Minnie), her Aunt Nelly and her Aunt Pearl. She never wrote any measurements down. Whaa! As I got ready to go to the store I realized I too was going to have to use all of my experience shadowing in the kitchen to make these pies. She did say, “As many times as you’ve seen me make a pie, you should be able to do it with your eyes closed”. And so, I decided to tackle the challenge - eyes wide open of course! 

I must admit the pie was not as phenomenal as my grandmother’s, but I believe I’m on the right track :)

Pro Tips: 

*This recipe makes two pies. I was told to get medium sweet potatoes,but was unable to find them in the store. SoI figured the mini sweet potatoes would suffice. My “Mama” also told me that flour and nutmeg aren’t ingredients frequently used in this pie, but it works.

Ingredients:

  • 10 mini sweet potatoes 

  • Plain pie crusts (2) 

  • 1/2 stick of butter (plus 1 table spoon for the crust). 

  • 1 1/2 tea spoon of cinnamon

  • 1 table spoon of vanilla 

  • 1 egg

  • 1 cup of sugar 

  • 1 1/2 tea spoon of flour - many don’t put flour in their pie 

  • 1/2 tea spoon of nutmeg 

  • 1/3 cup of milk

Instructions:

  1. In a large pot, boil the sweet potatoes until they are fully cooked and tender.

  2. Pre- heat oven to 350 degrees.

  3. Set the pie crust aside.

  4. When the sweet potatoes are fully cooked, drain the water and peel off the skin. You will know when they are ready to be used when they are soft to the touch, and the skin can be easily removed without additional instruments. 

  5. Place the skinless sweet potatoes into a large bowl and begin to mash. 

  6. While the potatoes are still warm, add the butter. Continue to mash the potatoes until they reach a smooth consistency.

  7. Slowly stir in the cup of sugar.

  8. Add in the teaspoon of vanilla.

  9. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and egg.

  10. Mix well. 

  11. Slowly, pour the mixture into the two pie crust. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed between the two. You can the back of a table spoon to raven out the mixture if necessary. 

  12. Brush melted butter on the edge of the crust. 

  13. Bake for approximately 35 - 45 or until the crust is golden brown. 

Enjoy!

Marissa Phoenix