Sweet Potato Pie

One of the great things about living in Mexico, is the wide variety of things sold in trucks passing through the neighborhood. You name it and I've probably had a truck park outside my house to sell it. A few weeks ago, a truck drove by announcing 3 kilos of Camotes (sweet potatoes) for 20 pesos. I don't know how much sweet potatoes sell for in the States, but I imagine that 6.6 pounds for $1.50 US is quite a bargain.

But what is a person supposed to do with six and a half pounds of sweet potatoes? Easy! Bake them in the oven, or steam them on the stove top, scoop out the flesh and keep it refrigerated in a plastic container. You can substitute the mashed sweet potato in any of your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups mashed sweet potato
• Unbaked Maseca Pie Crust
• Sweetened Whipped Cream (Optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425º F. Place all of the ingredients, except the pie crust, in a blender cup. Puree ingredients until smooth. Pour puree mixture into pastry lined pie plate.

Bake at 425º F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350º F. Bake pie for 45 minutes or just until center of pie sets. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate pie atleast 3 hours or overnight.

Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Enjoy!!!

Maseca Pie Crust

I always have Maseca on hand to make corn tortillas, sopes or tamales. I also use Maseca as a substitute for cornmeal in my cornbread, corndog and hushpuppy recipes. If you don´t have Maseca, use cornmeal for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Maseca
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons very cold water

Directions:

In medium size mixing bowl, combine flour, Maseca and salt. Using a potato masher, cut butter into flour mixture. Stir in the cold water just until the dough comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. (This is to prevent sticking.) Place pie crust in pie plate. Pierce the dough multiple times with the tines of a fork. (This prevents the dough from rising.) Refrigerate dough until ready to use.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

I love whipped cream. Pie isn't pie unless its topped with delicious whipped cream. Whipped cream and whipping cream aren't always available in Yahualica. But, I once heard that any cream can be whipped if it contains atleast 30% fat. Well, my favorite Mexican crema is perfect for that.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup very cold Mexican crema
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

In medium mixing bowl, beat Mexican crema and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer, until cream has doubled in size. Add vanilla and cinnamon and beat an additional 30 seconds.

With Love,
Leslie Limon

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