Sweet potato pie

I love sweet potato pie.

And this version is light and not overly spiced, as some pies can be. It is based on traditional pumpkin pie recipes with changes in the spice, and of course, the main ingredient.

I bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time. I will generally make up a batch of various sized potatoes (usually about 6) and if I have extra after measuring it out, I freeze it in ziploc bags to use later for things like sweet potato biscuits, or just simply mixing up as a sweet potato mash for a side dish with butter and brown sugar.

Perfect for your holiday table when you want fresh ingredients, but pumpkins start to become increasingly hard to find around late November, and especially December.

I serve this with freshly whipped cream, which I make in a chilled bowl of an electric mixer, adding a generous pinch of either powdered sugar or splenda for taste. To chill a mixing bowl quickly, put a tray of ice cubes in it with some cold water and let sit five minutes. Then drain and dry thoroughly with a clean dish towel.

Sweet potato pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon  grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large organic pastured eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups baked mashed sweet potatoes
12 fluid ounces evaporated milk
1 unbaked pie crust

1. Prepare sweet potatoes ahead: bake at 375 degrees F. for 75 minutes wrapped in foil, then allow to cool, peel, and mash with a potato masher or fork.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. with an oven-proof glass baking dish or pie pan or ramekin with water on a shelf lower than where you will put the pie.

3. Fit pie crust into a deep dish glass pie plate and flute edges.

4. Whisk together the sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

5. Whisk in the beaten eggs and mashed sweet potatoes.

6. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk until filling is smooth.

7. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for another 40-50 minutes or until a knife can be slipped in and out of the pie center without wet filling clinging to it.

8. Cool pie completely before slicing and serving.

9. Serve with whipped cream as desired; refrigerate unused pie portions, covered with plastic wrap.