.jpg) Sweet potato pies with decorative tops | |
| Type | Pie |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Southern United States |
| Main ingredients | Pie shell,sweet potatoes,milk,sugar,eggs, spices |
Sweet potato pie is a traditional dessertpie originating in theSouthern United States. It is often served during the American holiday season, especially atThanksgiving andChristmas, in place ofpumpkin pie, which is more traditional in other regions of the United States.
It is made in an open pie shell without a top crust. The filling consists of mashedsweet potatoes,evaporated milk,eggs,sugar, andspices such ascinnamon,ginger, andnutmeg.[1] The baked vegetalcustard filling may vary from light and silky to dense, depending on the recipe's ratio of sweet potato, milk and eggs.
Though creamy vegetable pie recipes date back toMedieval Europe, sweet potato pie appears in the southern United States from the early colonial days.[2] The use of sweet potatoes inSouthern andAfrican-American cuisine traces back to Native American cuisine. The sweet potato, which is native to the Americas, was likely used by enslaved Africans as an alternative to theyam found in their homeland. Sweet potato pie applies European pie making customs to the preparation of sweet potatoes.[3] Recipes for sweet potato pie first appeared in printed cookbooks in the 18th century, where it was included with savory vegetable dishes. By the 19th century, sweet potato pie was more commonly classified as a dessert.[2]American Heritage (magazine) declared sweet potato pie the nation's "most underrated pie" elaborating, "That something as lowly and simple as this native plant could be transformed into such a glorious feast is a perfect characterization of the American ideal."[4]
One variation is the Hawaiiansweet potato haupia pie.
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