Old MacDonald's Potato Box Recipes
Sweet Potato Meringue Pie Ingredients For filling 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium) 1 2/3 cups half-and-half 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt pastry dough for a single-crust 9- to 10-inch pie For meringue 3 large egg whites 3/4 cup sugar confectioners' sugar for dusting Butter Pastry Dough 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits 6 to 7 tablespoons ice water Directions Make filling: Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a baking sheet with foil. Prick potatoes and bake on baking sheet in middle of oven 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until very soft. Cool potatoes until they can be handled and scoop out enough flesh to measure 2 cups, reserving any remaining flesh for another use. In a blender or food processor purée potatoes with remaining filling ingredients until smooth. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring filling to room temperature before proceeding. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into a 9- to 10-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate, crimping edge decoratively. Chill shell 30 minutes Preheat oven to 375°F. with a baking sheet on middle rack. Pour filling into shell and bake on heated baking sheet in oven 1 hour, or until filling is set but center still shakes, slightly. (Filling will continue to set as pie cools.) Cool pie on a rack. Pie may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. Bring pie to room temperature before proceeding. Preheat oven to 450°F. Make meringue: In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water stir together whites and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Remove bowl from pan and with an electric mixer beat meringue on high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks. Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe tall pointed mounds close together, covering pie. Bake pie in middle of oven until meringue is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Just before serving, dust pie lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or room temperature. Butter Pastry Dough In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt and with a pastry blender or fingertips blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to incorporate, until mixture begins to form a dough. On a work surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to slightly develop gluten in flour and make dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Pastry dough may be made 1 week ahead and chilled.

Old MacDonald's Potato Box Recipes

Sweet Potato Meringue Pie

Ingredients

For filling
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
1 2/3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

pastry dough for a single-crust 9- to 10-inch pie

For meringue
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar

confectioners' sugar for dusting

Butter Pastry Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
6 to 7 tablespoons ice water

Directions

Make filling:
Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a baking sheet with foil.
Prick potatoes and bake on baking sheet in middle of oven 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until very soft. Cool potatoes until they can be handled and scoop out enough flesh to measure 2 cups, reserving any remaining flesh for another use.

In a blender or food processor purée potatoes with remaining filling ingredients until smooth. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring filling to room temperature before proceeding.

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into a 9- to 10-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate, crimping edge decoratively. Chill shell 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 375°F. with a baking sheet on middle rack.

Pour filling into shell and bake on heated baking sheet in oven 1 hour, or until filling is set but center still shakes, slightly. (Filling will continue to set as pie cools.) Cool pie on a rack. Pie may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. Bring pie to room temperature before proceeding.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Make meringue:
In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water stir together whites and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Remove bowl from pan and with an electric mixer beat meringue on high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks.

Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe tall pointed mounds close together, covering pie.

Bake pie in middle of oven until meringue is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Just before serving, dust pie lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or room temperature.

Butter Pastry Dough

In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt and with a pastry blender or fingertips blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to incorporate, until mixture begins to form a dough. On a work surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to slightly develop gluten in flour and make dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Pastry dough may be made 1 week ahead and chilled.