Sweet potato pie conjures the warmth we crave in autumn (fall) and is an iconic autumnal favourite in North America, often made with pumpkin. The spiced filling is comprised of cooked sweet potato (although you can easily swap with pumpkin) that has been blended to a silky consistency with brown sugar and warming spices. Cornflour is cooked out to make a pie that slices beautifully and eats with a silky consistency.
Makes a 23cm pie
WHAT YOU NEED
400g flaky pastry
460g sweet potato, cooked and cooled
65g brown sugar
115g caster (superfine) sugar
200g plant-based milk
53g cornflour (cornstarch
2g sea salt
2.5g ground nutmeg
3g ground cinnamon
1.5g ground cloves
1 sheet filo pastry
extra virgin olive oil for brushing
WHAT TO DO
For the pie crust
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan with an oven shelf in the middle of the oven.
Make the flaky pastry and roll out the pastry between two large sheets of baking parchment to a large 30cm (12 in) disc, about 3–4 mm (⅛–1/6 in) thick.
You can remove the top sheet of baking parchment and use the bottom sheet to help flip it over into the dish, if you like. Gently press the pastry into a 23cm (9in) pie or quiche dish with a tiny overhang.
Scrunch up one of the sheets of baking parchment and press it over the pastry, then fill with rice or baking beans to weigh down the pastry.
Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes until cooked through. Remove the paper and rice and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. If the edges brown too quickly cover with kitchen foil.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
For the sweet potato filling
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Purée all the filling ingredients together in a food processor or with a hand-held blender in a large bowl for a quick finish, or purée the cooked sweet potato, then stir in all the remaining ingredients.
Pour the filling into the prebaked tart case all the way to the top and bake for 15 minutes, or until the centre is just set. Allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Brush a sheet of filo pastry with some olive oil on both sides. Use leaf cutters to cut leaves, then lay them on a baking tray and bake until golden, around 8–12 minutes. Allow to cool, then arrange on the outside of the tart.
COMMENTS