Sweet Potato Flavored Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1 ½ cups whole pecans
• 6 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• Filling:
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 vanilla bean

Step 1

Grind the pecans in a blender until they turn into a coarse meal. In a bowl, mix the pecan meal with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers to rub in the butter until the mixture looks crumbly, with some small lumps still visible. Drizzle the beaten egg over the mixture and gently stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together.

Step 2

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth. Shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and pop it in the fridge for at least two hours to firm up. When you’re ready, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Roll the chilled dough out into a 10-inch circle and carefully transfer it to an 8-inch pie dish. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden, then take it out and let it cool on a wire rack.

Step 3

While the crust bakes, steam the sweet potatoes until they’re tender—about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and mash them until smooth. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, brown sugar, and eggs one at a time until creamy. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, cinnamon, and ginger. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, then mix those into the filling for a lovely burst of flavor.

Step 4

Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake for about an hour, or until the center is set. Let the pie cool to room temperature before serving so the flavors can really come together.