Louisiana Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch pie plate
• •Hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Baking sheet
• •Microplane grater for nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the sweet potatoes

   Preheat your oven to 400°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes clean and prick each one several times with a fork. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast until completely tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. You'll know they're ready when a knife slides through with no resistance and the sugars start to caramelize and bubble out of the fork holes. The kitchen should smell like candy.

   Choose sweet potatoes with deep orange flesh, not the pale yellow variety. The color tells you the sugar content.
2. 2

   Cool and prep the potatoes

   Let the roasted sweet potatoes cool until you can handle them, about 15 minutes. Slice each one in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the skins. You should have about 2 cups of soft, fragrant pulp. Reduce your oven temperature to 350°F for the pie.

3. 3

   Prepare your crust

   While the potatoes cool, fit your pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the edges however pleases you. My grandmother did a simple fork press; at Lagniappe we do a rope edge. Either works. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling. Cold crust bakes flakier.

4. 4

   Build the filling base

   Add the softened butter to the warm sweet potatoes and beat with a hand mixer or mash vigorously with a fork until smooth. The residual heat from the potatoes will melt the butter right in, creating a silky base. Add both sugars and beat until combined. The brown sugar brings molasses depth; the white sugar keeps things from getting too heavy.

   Taste the mixture here. This is where you learn what your sweet potatoes brought to the party. Some batches are sweeter than others depending on the season.
5. 5

   Add eggs and dairy

   Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. The filling will loosen and become glossy. Pour in the evaporated milk and vanilla, beating until everything comes together into a smooth, pourable custard. It should coat a spoon but still flow freely.

6. 6

   Season with spices

   Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt. Beat to combine, then taste. This is the moment that matters. The filling should taste warmly spiced but not like a spice cabinet exploded. The sweet potato should still be the star. Adjust if needed: more cinnamon for warmth, a touch more salt to make everything pop.

   Freshly grated nutmeg makes a real difference here. The pre-ground stuff loses its magic sitting on the shelf. A whole nutmeg and a microplane will change your baking.
7. 7

   Fill and bake

   Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust. It should come just below the crimped edge. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are set and puffed slightly, but the center still has a gentle wobble when you tap the pan. Think of a firm gelatin, not liquid sloshing.

   If your crust edges are browning too fast, tent them with strips of foil for the last 20 minutes.
8. 8

   Cool completely

   This is the hardest part: let the pie cool completely at room temperature, at least 2 hours. The custard continues to set as it cools. Cut into it too soon and you'll have a delicious puddle instead of clean slices. Patience here is what separates good pie from great pie. Serve with a generous dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Chef Tips

• •Louisiana Beauregard sweet potatoes are the gold standard, but any deep orange variety works beautifully. Avoid the white or purple kinds for this pie.
• •At Lagniappe, we make our own crust with lard and butter, but a quality store-bought all-butter crust will serve you well. No shame in that. The filling is where the magic lives.
• •This pie is even better the next day, after the flavors have had time to marry. Store it covered in the refrigerator, but let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• •For a bourbon variation, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with good Louisiana bourbon. It adds a warmth that'll make your guests ask what your secret is.
• •Evaporated milk gives you richness without making the custard heavy. Don't substitute regular milk or the texture will suffer.

Advance Preparation

• •Sweet potatoes can be roasted up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before mashing.
• •The fully baked pie keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. The crust will soften slightly, but the flavor only improves.
• •Pie crust can be prepared, fitted to the plate, and frozen for up to 1 month. Fill and bake directly from frozen, adding 5 minutes to bake time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 190g)