Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie wasn't a commonplace on our holiday tables growing up. In fact I often scoffed at Sweet Potato Pie's first-cousin, the classic Pumpkin Pie, in favor of my Mom's ice cream pumpkin pies. Thankfully I've expanded my holiday pie horizons over the past few years and now give equal attention to all pies at holiday celebrations. This week, I was thrilled to be able to try my hand at sweet potato pie and pie making  for the first time during the second annual #pieweek celebration (more information at the end of this post).

Sunday brought the threat of big storms to SE Michigan. I happily steered clear of the elements to stay home learning all about pie making. The smell of sweet potatoes, cinnamon and nutmeg wafted through my apartment while the wind howled through the cracks in our windows all afternoon. I stood by nervously crossing my fingers that our power wouldn't go out.

In the end, power was spared and this pie was enjoyed during a movie night (The Count of Monte Cristo) with friends alongside Puppy Pop and Ginger Lemon Hot Toddies.

Sweet Potato Pie
a mash up of Smitten Kitchen's all butter, really flakey pie dough and Food 52's Fall Harvest Sweet Potato Pie

Crust
from Smitten Kitchen
2 1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour.)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold

Filling
from Food 52
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cups dark brown sugar ( packed)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 egg yolks
pinches salt 
1 cup chopped roasted pecans (I used walnuts.)
2 tablespoons maple syrup

1. Do-ahead: Mix and refrigerate your pie dough before rolling it out. Deb at Smitten Kitchen offers several great pie crust tutorials on her website, as does #pieweek's emcee Kristen at Comfortably Domestic.
2. Boil and peel cooled sweet potatoes, and then process them in a blender or food processor. 
3. Once smooth, mix the sweet potato puree, yogurt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg yolks and salt by hand or in a standing mixer.
4. Pour the sweet potato filling into an uncooked pie shell and top with drizzles of maple syrup and pecans.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees.

Looking for a new holiday pie recipe? There's a great sampling of classic pies with a few modern spins in this year's #pieweek line-up:

Monday 11/18

Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic – Mile High Apple Pie

Katie / The Hill Country Cook – New Mexico Apple Pie

Anne / From My Sweet Heart – Cranberry Cherry Ricotta Pie

Haley / The Girlie Girl Cooks – Coconut Cream Pie

Tuesday 11/19

Jeanne / Inside NanaBread’s Head – Black and White Coconut Tart

Mads / La Petite Pancake – Pineapple Pie

Monica / The Grommom – Papaya Pie

Wednesday 11/20

Carrie / Bakeaholic Mama – Chocolate Cream Pie

Kat / Tenaciously Yours – Grandma’s Chocolate Pie

Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic – Maple Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Swiss Meringue

Thursday 11/21

Shanna / Pineapple Coconut – Boozy Pumpkin Egg Nog Pie

Carrie / Bakeaholic Mama – Sweet Potato Tartlets

Christina / Buffy and George – Deep Dish Apple Pie

Friday 11/22

Madeline / Munching in the Mitten – Sweet Potato Pie (me!)

Allison / Decadent Philistines - Refrigerator Pumpkin Porter Chocolate Pie with Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow "Meringue"

Lauren / Climbing Grier Mountain - Mini Butternut Squash Pie Stacks with Marshmallow Frosting

Saturday 11/23

Megan / Country Cleaver - Biscoff Pie with Whiskey Mallow Fluff

Shanna / Pineapple Coconut - Persimmon, Pear and Brandy Pie with Vanilla Bean Crumble

Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic – Very Berry Cherry Pie