Yam ? (Sweet Potato) and Apricot Pie

YAM? (SWEET POTATO)  AND APRICOT PIE

What is a yam? you say, I always thought they were the same as a sweet potato but come to find out this  is not true! I went to the market and saw a sign saying yams and thought I was buying a yam but when I started reading about yams I read that they are not the same at all. They are totally different! After cooking for 25 years I learn something new! Go figure! It seems that the yam is rarely available in the United States at all and only popular in South America and other parts of the world. Sweet potatoes are orange fleshed and have a rich sweet flavor while yams are very bland! So the name on this pie had to be changed to a Sweet Potato and Apricot Pie.

Pie Crust- 8-9 inch pie plate—400 degree oven

• 2-1/2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 stick or 8 Tablespoons of butter (cut in small pieces)
• 1/2 cup of shortening
• 1/4 cup of Ice cold water
• 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Place flour and salt  in large bowl and add cut up butter and shortening
2. Mix water with the vinegar in a measuring cup and add a little at a time to flour mixture  to make a smooth dough.
3. Add nuts and continue to mix
4. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate
5. Meanwhile: make filling
6. 

Filling

• 1 large sweet potato (cooked in boiling water till tender)
• 4-5 ripe apricots (cut in small, small, cubes) stone removed
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 tablespoons  of minute tapioca
• 3 tablespoons of heavy or light cream

1. Cook sweet potato in  pan of boiling water and cook until you can pierce it with a fork
2. Drain and let cool
3. Add cutup apricots to sweet potato and then add the brown sugar and spices
4. Crack the eggs 1 at a time, and mix after each egg
5. Add the tapioca and cream and blend
6. Place pan on the side

Gather your pie plate and take dough from refrigerator. Divide dough in half and place other half back in the refrigerator to be used for the top.

Place dough in pie pan and press dough into place continue to form pie shell in plate till it looks like a pie. Pierce all around shell with a fork .

Spoon filling into pie shell and fill. Take other half of dough out of the refrigerator and place on board and roll out with rolling pin. It won’t be even,  because of the nuts, but try to roll it into a circle. Cut strips to form the lattice and place on top of pie, crimping the edges all around. Brush with egg wash (egg and milk) or just milk. Mix 1/2 sugar and 1/2  cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Bake @400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

ENJOY!!