Recipe: Sweet Potato Custard Pie in Orange Crust

SWEET POTATO CUSTARD PIE IN ORANGE CRUST

"This rich pie has a delicate flavor, and the orange-nutmeg crust goes just right with the taste of sweet potatoes. It's best served warm, when the crust has more flavor."

3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
2 cups cooked, mashed and sieved sweet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 small sweet potatoes)
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup light cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
A large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 unbaked 10-inch orange-crust pie shell (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and sweet potato, and beat together to mix thoroughly. Add milk and light cream and stir until combined. Add melted butter, orange juice, vanilla extract, lemon extract and nutmeg and stir well. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard is set and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Best when served warm.

ORANGE-CRUST PIE PASTRY
Makes: 2 (10-inch) pie shells

"If you need only one shell, you can freeze half of this flavorful pastry for later use. Firmly press the unneeded pastry into a 10-inch tin-foil or Pyrex pie plate, enclose it tightly in plastic wrap, place it in a gallon plastic freezer bag and put it in the freezer. Defrost the pastry before using it for your next pie."

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chilled shortening, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
6 tablespoons chilled orange juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Cut in the butter, shortening and orange rind with a pastry blender until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of the orange juice with the sugar and nutmeg. Using a fork or knife, cut the orange juice mixture into the flour mixture to form a soft dough, adding additional orange juice if necessary. Do not overmix. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Roll out half the chilled dough on a floured surface to form a crust about 10 inches in diameter. Firmly press the crust into a pie plate. Trim the edges to 3/4 inch and flute with fingers or crimp with a fork. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Freeze or use immediately.

Makes: 1 (10-inch) pie
Source: Dori Sanders' Country Cooking: Recipes and Stories from the Family Farm Stand by Dori Sanders