Sweet Potato Pie with Cornmeal Pastry (Cajun)

Enjoy a classic pie made southern style with cornmeal pastry and topped with lots of whipped cream!

Makes 8 servings

Cornmeal Pastry:
2/3 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling and Topping:
2 eggs
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Sweetened whipped cream, if desired

Cinnamon-Pecan Streusel:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In medium bowl, mix flour, cornmeal and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary).

Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. With floured rolling pin, roll pastry into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.

In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly. Stir in remaining filling ingredients except whipped cream. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake 35 minutes longer.

In small bowl, mix all streusel ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Place pie on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 445 (Calories from Fat 170 ); Total Fat 19 g (Saturated Fat 5 g); Cholesterol 54 mg; Sodium 320 mg; Total Carbohydrate 63 g (Dietary Fiber 3 g); Protein 8 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 100 %; Vitamin C 14 %; Calcium 18 %; Iron 10 %

Exchanges: 3 Starch; 1 Fruit; 3 Fat

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Did You Know?
You can use the cornmeal pastry in your favorite quiche or pot pie recipe, too.

Special Touch:
Sprinkle whipped cream with cinnamon for a restaurant-fancy finish.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker 2007/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved