Substitute for Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin is starting to show up now, but if you are still having a hard time finding it, try a Sweet Potato pie. An old Southern treat. I my have been a beach boy, from Redondo beach, but I spent a lot of time in the South with my grandmother.

Sweet Potato Pie

1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potato, caned or fresh
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (14 1/2 oz. ) evaporated milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Standard Pastry for 1-crust 10: pie, unbaked

Make pastry. Preheat 10" dutch oven with 6 charcoals on the bottom, and 14 on top. Mix all ingredients. Pour into pastry lined dutch oven. Add 4 charcoals to the bottom and bake in 425°f. oven for 10minutes. Reduce heat to 350°f. by removing the 4 added charcoals from the bottom.
check on the pie to see if you need to remove any from the top. When filling starts to set, you can place some pastry Holly leafs, cut outs on top.

Standard Pastry Crust

Mix 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ans 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons lard or shortening. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoon water, a few drops at a time, and mix lightly with a fork until all dry ingredients are moistened. Press firmly into a ball. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Fit into dutch oven. Trim top edge with a dull ( butter ) knife.

All ingredients, bowl and tools should be kept very cold.