Sweet Potato Pie

Best Ever Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie

1 (1 pound) sweet potato or about 2 cups cooked and peeled

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon white flour

1/2 cup canned milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin. (Do not store the cooked potato in the refrigerator overnight if you can’t make the pie right away. It makes the sweet potato grainy. Just prepare it when you can do the whole job at once.) Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Using the mixer, stir in the sugar, flour, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add the milk and continue to mix. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 55 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools. Calories: 389  per serving. 

We always served this with whipped cream as a topping. However, some like it with a meringue topping. Place the pie on a rack and cool to room temperature before covering with meringue. For the meringue, using an electric mixer, beat 3 egg whites until soft peaks form; beat in 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy and stiff, but not dry. With a rubber spatula, spoon the meringue onto the pie, forming peaks. Make sure the meringue touches the crust all around. Sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until delicately browned. Cool and serve.