What we like and don’t like is greatly influence by what we experienced growing up. When I tell people I make a sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving, they often ask, “What about pumpkin?” I never have liked pumpkin pie. Every time I eat it, I wish it was sweet potato. Once folks accept that answer, the next question they ask is, “Don’t you put any spices in your sweet potato pie? Cinnamon? Nutmeg? Allspice?” Nope. Just eggs, butter, and sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Crust

(Do not bake crust.)

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Mix flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut shortening into the flour by crisscrossing 2 knives until it’s the size of small peas. Add water a tablespoon at a time and mix with a fork until dough holds together. Form into a ball, handling the dough as little as possible. Do not knead the dough.

Prepare surface with flour and flour your rolling pin. Roll one ball of dough into the size of the pie pan, being sure to turn the dough over and reflour the surface at least once, and leaving enough dough to hang over the edge of the pie pan. Roll the crust onto the rolling pin and roll it out over the pie pan. Pierce the crust with a fork. Roll dough along edges of pan and crimp with a four or your fingers and thumb.

Filling

• 3-4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (2 cups, cooked)
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Karo Syrup
• 3 beaten eggs

Boil the sweet potatoes until tender. Drain. Combine butter, sugar, and Karo Syrup with the potatoes while they are still hot. I put it all in my stand mixer bowl. Mix until smooth. Gradually add the mixture to the eggs, increasing the temperature of the eggs so you don’t cook them. Add the eggs to the mixture.

Pour the filling into the pastry shell and bake at 350° at least 40 minutes or longer. To be sure it’s done, you can check the center of the pie with a toothpick or a knife. You don’t want the filling to stick to the knife.

You can serve topped with whipping cream, but it really doesn’t need it.