Cornmeal Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potatoes replace pumpkin in this Southern sweetened vegetable pie recipe, an adaptation of sweet potato pies popular for decades. The cornmeal pastry and struessel topping can be made up to 3 days before assembling the pie.

Prep Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 58 mins
Servings:
8 servings
Ingredients
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1 pound sweet potatoes or one 17-ounce can sweet potatoes, drained
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1/2 cup packed brown sugar
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1/4 cup butter, melted
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1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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3 slightly beaten eggs
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1 cup half-and-half or light cream
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1 recipe Cornmeal Pastry
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1 recipe Pecan Streusel Topping
Directions
1.
If using fresh sweet potatoes, peel potatoes. Cut off woody portions and ends; discard. Cut sweet potatoes into quarters. In a covered large saucepan, cook sweet potatoes in enough boiling, salted water to cover for 25 to 35 minutes or until tender; drain.
2.
In a medium bowl, mash drained fresh or canned sweet potatoes (you should have 1-1/2 cups). Reserve any remaining sweet potatoes for another use. Stir in brown sugar, butter, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk in eggs and half-and-half.
3.
Place Cornmeal Pastry shell on oven rack; pour in filling. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
4.
Remove foil. Sprinkle with Pecan Streusel Topping. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes more or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Chill at least 2 hours before serving; cover for longer storage. Makes 8 servings.
Make-Ahead Tip
Refrigerate prepared cornmeal pastry and pecan streusel topping, covered, up to 3 days.
Cornmeal Pastry
In a medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until all the dough is moistened (3 to 5 tablespoons cold water total). Form into a ball.On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edge into a 12-inch circle. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate; ease pasty into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate. Fold under extra pastry; crimp edge high. Do not prick.
Pecan Streusel Topping
In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup toasted, coarsely chopped pecans.
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