When fall approaches each year, I seem to find myself visiting the Nashville Farmers' Market more often. The days grow a little shorter and suddenly I am craving fresh picked apples to snack on and pumpkins to decorate the front porch with. One of my favorite vendors to visit is Smiley's of Ridgetop. They have a large spread and surprisingly, a small selection. But if you think by small I mean little to choose from, you would be mistaken. There is an abundance of produce to choose from but unlike some of the other vendors, they make no effort to mimic a grocery store.
Today's visit had me standing in front of a huge mound of sweet potatoes wondering what I should make with them. Sweet potatoes are very versitile and can be baked into many different things. From bread to cake to pies, the options are endless but today, the choice was pie.
Here in the South, sweet potato pie is a pretty common sight. It is also very easy to make and if you have a food processor, it is almost too easy! So head on down to the farmers' market, visit Smiley's and stock up on sweet potatoes so you can make a pie. If you use a purchased pie shell and take the time to bake the sweet potatoes the day before, assembling this pie will be a quick process.
Sweet Potato Pie
1 (9") pie shell, store bought is just fine
2-3 sweet potatoes, baked and mashed with 2 cups puree measured out (be sure to eat the rest of them!)
1/2 cup brown sugar, dark or light
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs
1/3 cup half and half
Preheat the oven to 325. Prebake your pie shell by lining it with parchment paper and placing pie weights in the shell. Place the pie shell on a sturdy baking sheet to make it easier to handle and place it in the oven. Bake it for 15-20 minutes but do not allow it to color or the finished pie will taste burned. The bottom of the crust will no longer appear to be shiny and wet but will look baked but not yet golden. Remove the weights and paper. Turn the heat up to 350. Place the sweet potato puree into the bowl of a food processor with the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pulse the mixture until it is smooth. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time followed by the half and half. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake until the filling is puffy around the edges and the center should be almost firm but not yet puffy, about 45 minutes. Allow the pie to cool before serving unless you are really impatient, then you can serve it while it is still slightly warm.
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