Sweet potato pie by the soulful singer Patti LaBelle. Made with California grown sweet potatoes, butter and spice is so in demand due to a viral video by James Wright.
If you cannot buy one at Walmart because it is out of stock. You can easily get one at Amazon.com, here... Sweet Potato Pie by Patti LaBelle, but it will cost you $39.37 compared to the original price, which is just $3.48. The best frugal option is to make it yourself. Read on and get the Patti Labelle's original recipe below.
Did You Know?
Sweet potato pie is a traditional dessert, originating in the Southern United States. It is often served during Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas day, and is similar in many ways to pumpkin pie. Marshmallows are sometimes added as a topping, but this was adopted more in the Northern United States than in the South.
They Also Like Sweet Potato Pie in Medieval England
England’s herbalist John Gerard wrote about the sweet potato in his 1597 "Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes". He stated that the sweet potato “comforts, strengthens and nourishes the body,” and also had the property of “procuring bodily lust.” This aphrodisiac quality could be the reason for its popularity in the upper classes of sixteenth-century England.
It is suggested that King Henry VIII consumed huge amounts of sweet potatoes, especially sweet potato pie. Shakespeare’s Falstaff exclaims in the Merry Wives of Windsor (1602) “Let the sky rain potatoes (sweet). Let it thunder to the tune of ‘Greensleeves,’ hail kissing-comfits and snow eringoes!"
The Sweet Potato in Colonial America
Sweet potato pie appears in the southern United States from the early colonial days. The early colonists of Virginia were growing sweet potatoes by 1648, possibly earlier. The sweet potato was brought to them by explorers and traders from the West Indies and Mexico. Besides being tasty, it grew with relative ease and speed and in abundance. As the colonies expanded, the sweet potato became an item of trade to the northern colonies. The name “sweet potato” came into use after the 1740s as a means for the colonists to distinguish it from the white potato, which had been brought to New England by Scottish-Irish immigrants.
When things got tough during times of war and supplies of wheat and corn were limited, people turned to the sweet potato to carry them through. Weekly sweet potato rations were given to soldiers. Sweet potatoes were even made into a coffee substitute. During the Revolutionary War, General Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox” of South Carolina, maintained his men for months at a time on little else.
6 Reasons Why Sweet Potato is Good for You
Many foods high on health are short on taste. Not the sweet potato. This root is sweet and delicious and, if prepared correctly, even indulgent. While the sweet potato will bolster your health, it will also have power over your taste buds.
Sweet Potato Nutritional Content
a) The Center for the Science in Public Interest (CSPI) has ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition, more than 100 points ahead of spinach or broccoli. Sweet potatoes have large amounts of Vitamin A and C and are considered one of the top eight high-energy foods by professional athletes. The average sweet potato contains no fat, is only 165 calories, and contains one-half of the daily requirement of Vitamin C and twice the daily requirement of Vitamin A. It is also a terrific source of complex carbohydrates, B vitamins (especially thiamin), protein, iron, calcium, and potassium.
b) Despite being naturally sweet, sweet potatoes are a complex carbohydrate. Unlike white potatoes, they digest slowly and will not spike blood sugar.
c) Sweet potatoes have more than 100 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A (beta-carotene); preferred over the much-touted dark, leafy green veggies. Thus, the body can absorb more of the plant’s nutrients. They contain more vitamin A than any other fruit or vegetable. Vitamin A keeps our eyes in tip-top shape, helping our vision discriminate colors and handle low lighting. It also plays an important part in the body’s defense against unstable chemical agents that can cause damage to the cells.
d) Sweet potatoes have more fiber per serving than oatmeal. More fiber provides a feeling of fullness and helps control food intake.
e) Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect our bodies from free radicals. When passing through the digestive tract, sweet potatoes lower the potential health risks posed by heavy metals and oxidized free radicals.
f) Sweet potatoes contain a natural protein that helps repair itself when damaged. When digested, this protein is utilized as an anti-inflammatory in our bodies and helps repair cells.
PATTI LABELLE'S SWEET POTATO PIE RECIPE
Sweet potato pie taste like cake, so much goodness in an easily transportable package. This recipe makes a light-textured pie, not too sweet and with a nice spice flavor, with a flaky and tender crust.
Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Salt
3 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 2 3/4 pounds), scrubbed
7 tablespoons (most of 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large fresh eggs, beaten
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
One 9-inch frozen piecrust or Perfect
Piecrust (please refer to recipe below)
BAKING PROCEDURE:
1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the sweet potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium; cook until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 to 45 minutes.
2) Drain the sweet potatoes, letting them fall into a colander. Run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Discard the skins; transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl. Use a hand-held electric mixer to blend on medium speed until creamy and smooth. You will need 3 cups for the filling; scoop out the remainder and reserve for another use.
3) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4) Uncover the pie shell; brush the interior with the melted butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the pie shell. Par-bake until the crust is set and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. (If the pie shell puffs, do not prick it.) Let it cool.
5) Meanwhile, add the melted butter and brown sugar, the granulated sugar, eggs, half-and-half, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pureed sweet potatoes. Beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
How long do you bake a sweet potato pie?
6) Pour into the par-baked pie shell, smoothing the surface. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake (middle rack) until a knife inserted in the center of the filling comes out clean yet the filling still jiggles a bit, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
7) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Do you want to try sweet potato pie with marshmallows toppings? Get this recipe, How to Make Homemade Honey Marshmallows- Awesome Classic Recipes
Patti Labelle's Quick Tips:
In her cookbook, Patti calls this recipe "Norma's Black-Bottom Sweet Potato Pie". "Black-bottom" is a reference to the technique of baking the crust first with a little brown sugar on it before filling with the sweet potato mixture and baking again.
To get the most beta-carotene for your buck, shop for sweet potatoes with rich orange flesh. The darker the flesh the more beta-carotene you will get. Also, have a little fat like butter or margarine with your meal to help your body absorb this fat-soluble nutrient.
Sweet potatoes will not turn dark if put in salt water immediately after peeling (1 tablespoon to 1 quart of water).
Diet Exchanges: 2 starches, 2 fats, or 2 carbohydrate choices
How Many Calories in Patti Labelle Sweet Potato Pie Slice?
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 0.2 pie (119 grams)
| Calories | 440 |
| Total Fat | 20 g |
| Saturated | 9 g |
| Polyunsaturated | 4 g |
| Monounsaturated | 5 g |
| Trans | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 55 mg |
| Vitamin A | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 2% |
| Sodium | 220 mg |
| Potassium | 0 mg |
| Total Carbs | 61 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugars | 29 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Calcium | 0% |
| Iron | 10% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Patti Labelle's Perfect Piecrust Recipe
Making a crust from scratch is not that hard, and the result is so satisfying that you can keep a batch in your freezer. Sometimes, not often but sometimes, only a homemade piecrust will do. Most times, however, it is best (and so much easier!) to use frozen piecrust. That is because commercial machines can roll a piecrust much thinner than human hands ever could, I do not care how skilled a baker a person may be. And the thinner the piecrust, the lower it is in fat and calories. Cookbook author and recipe developer David Joachim shared this recipe to Patti. According to Patti, this is the best piecrust she ever tasted.
Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1- 1/2cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter-flavored vegetable shortening
1/4 cup cold reduced-fat cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water
9-inch deep-dish pie plate
PREPARATION PROCEDURE:
1) In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or fork, quickly cut in the shortening and cream cheese until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2) In a cup, combine the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Mix into the dough just until moist. Mix in just enough remaining ice water so that the dough can be shaped into a ball. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disk in the bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
3) Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4) Roll the dough between sheets of lightly floured waxed or parchment paper, into a 12-inch circle. Remove the top sheet and carefully invert the dough into the center of a 9-inch pie pan. Remove the remaining sheet of paper and carefully fit the dough into the pan without stretching it.
5) Crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent bubbling.
6) Line the inside of the crust with heavy foil. Bake on a baking sheet for 7 minutes.
7) Remove the foil and bake until lightly golden, about 7 minutes more. Cool on a rack.
Option: To make a Perfect Nut Crust, stir 2 tablespoons finely ground almonds or walnuts into the flour and salt.
Patti Labelle's pumpkin pie is more silky, creamy and delicious, it will make you sing. Get the recipe NOW and try it later, Patti Labelle's Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe- Southern Soul Food
Patti’s Quick Baking Pointers:
The secret of a tender, flaky piecrust is not to over mix the dough once the water is added. It is one of those recipes with a few simple ingredients that must be put together with great care. There are two secrets to a tender, flaky piecrust. The first is to handle the dough as little as possible. The second is to keep everything cold. Especially the fat. Cold fat in a hot oven creates steam, which puffs apart the layers in the crust and makes flaky pastry. If the fat warms up before it gets to the oven, it melts and gets absorbed by the flour, creating a tough crust.
If you make a pie dough on a hot day, chill all your ingredients and equipment in the refrigerator. If the dough warms up and gets sticky as you work, pop it back in the fridge for 20 minutes before continuing.
Make Ahead: The piecrust dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Any leftover pureed sweet potatoes can be frozen for up to 6 months. The pie can be baked and refrigerated a day in advance.
Perfect Piecrust Calorie Count:
Per Serving: 160 calories, 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, less than 1 g dietary fiber, 25 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 1 starch, 1- 1/2 fats, or 1 carbohydrate choice
References:
Do you to taste all Patti Labelle's best of America's Southern soul food cooking? Get all her recipes, click her cookbooks here:
Labelle, Patti. 1999. LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About. Clarkson Potter. ISBN-10: 0767903145
Labelle, Patti. 2004. Patti Labelle's Lite Cuisine. Gotham. ISBN-10: 159240085X
Neal, Bill. 1996. Biscuits, Spoonbread, and Sweet Potato Pie. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Tudor, Ashley. 2012. Sweet Potato Power: Smart Carbs Paleo and Personalized. Victory Belt Publishing. ISBN 13: 978-1-936608-78-2
Watch Baking Video:
1) Sweet Potato Pie Recipe How to Make Easy, Southern Sweet Potato Pie
