Seriously easy, deceptively decadent, simple and delicious paleo/primal compliant sweet potato pie. And the crust can be used for other easy recipes like quiches, etc. I’ve even used to to make coconut custard pie recently too (recipe forthcoming I need to make some adjustments to it first)
SUPER Easy Pecan Crust Sweet Potato Pie - Paleo and Primal
Seriously easy, deceptively decadent, simple and delicious paleo/primal compliant sweet potato pie. And the crust can be used for other easy recipes like quiches, etc. I've even used to to make coconut custard pie recently too (recipe forthcoming I need to make some adjustments to it first)
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 6 oz pecans Halves and pieces, I weigh them
- 3 eggs large
- 1/2 cup coconut milk Organic full fat!
- 2 T pumpkin pie spice Sometimes I even use more....
- 1 pinch sea salt Actually 2 pinches of sea salt, see below
- 3 T honey Or more if you must... I actually only use about 2 Tbsp or less because I find the potatoes are sweet enough.
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1 lb sweet potatoes I bake them ahead of time, alternately you can use a 15oz can of sweet potato or pumpkin puree
Instructions
- I've been tormenting friends and followers on Twitter and Instagram long enough with photos of pies and quiches* made with this super simple 3 ingredient pecan crust. In hopes of regaining their friendship and dissipating some of the envy and tooth grinding, here's the recipe!
- Given my minimal available counterspace and disdain for unnecessary kitchen gadgets, the instructions below only call for a few things. One thing is critical--either a food processor (it can be small like the Cuisinart Mini Prep I sometimes use), high powered blender, OR what I use all the time the "as seen on TV" Magic Bullet Blender (grind blade, small cup). Other items needed - pie pan (I like pyrex, so I can monitor the crust while cooking), mixing bowl, a spoon, an optional spatula, maybe a fork... This is one of those recipes I would whole heartedly recommend to student and bachelor/bachelorette friends, empty-nesters etc. And anyone else who might like to have a made ahead "pie that eats like a meal".
- Also, it's great to have cooked sweet potatoes on hand anyway, and this is probably the best way to use extras. I just bake them plain in the oven, keep a few handy in the fridge and the rest in freezer bags in the freezer ready to go. As mentioned in the ingredients, you can use a single 15oz can of pumpkin or sweet potato if you absolutely must. BUT the texture of real sweet potato is a nice treat... especially if there was a sale on organic sweet potatoes... (use the orange ones for this by the way)
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Working in batches, grind the pecans into a rough cornmeal consistency and place into the mixing bowl. Add half a well beaten egg (I use the Magic Bullet blender for that too... then leave the other half of the egg in the blender for the the sweet potato filling phase).
- With a fork, mix the egg, a pinch of sea salt, and the pecan meal until it becomes a ball in the center of the bowl. Place this ball into the ungreased pie plate (it will grease itself with all that luscious pecan oil...) Working with very clean hands, press it out from the center thinner and thinner until it's a uniform thickness covering the bottom of the pie pan and at least 1/2 way up the sides of the pie pan. Set aside in a cool part of the kitchen (not the fridge, but not near anything excessively warm).
- With the blender or even a fork (if you want a chunky texture to the pie filling) puree the cooked sweet potato and mix very very well with the 1/2 beaten egg + the other 2 eggs, coconut milk, honey, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, a pinch of salt. Admittedly, I grind all this up in the same blender configuration in batches as well before combining in the bowl.
- Pour the well blended pie filling into the prepared crust, if you wish, decorate the top with a few pecans for fun and extra tastiness. Don't coat the top though, as they can burn if you aren't careful.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the center is firm enough to have a butter knife come out clean.
- MOST DIFFICULT STEP: let pie cool for 20 minutes or more until it is no longer "lava hot" and has solidified to an easily serve-able consistency. I actually enjoy the pie best at room temperature or after it has been in the fridge overnight. To store a fully cooled pie, cover with foil or cling wrap and place in the fridge. Then watch it disappear.
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