Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

Pie Filling:

1/2 cup fresh, soft black-skinned dates, (skin removed, pitted, halved)

1/2 cup oven-baked, mashed sweet potatoes (skin removed)

50 gm pecan halves (coarsely chopped)

1 whole egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100 ml pouring cream

1/3 cup fine brown sugar

2 tsp castor sugar

Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose plain flour (sifted, chilled)

200 gm chilled butter (cubed)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp castor sugar

30 ml (approx.) ice-cold water

Method:

Process dates in a food processor to mash.  Remove into a bowl and mix; by means of a spatula, with prepared sweet potatoes.  In another bowl, combine together; egg, vanilla, cinnamon, cream and sugar.  Beat well with an electrical hand beater, until sugar is almost dissolved.  Stir in chopped pecan with a fork.  Combine contents of two bowls, integrating well all ingredients together; using a spatula.  Cover and leave aside.  To prepare crust:  Sift flour, salt and sugars together.  Place in food processor.  Chop chilled butter into cubes; swiftly, then add to flour.  Process on pulse until sand-like particles are formed.  Add water; in very small amounts, while motor is running on pulse.  When dough starts to collect, immediately stop motor and remove pastry.  Shape into a flat disk.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.  Remove from refrigerator and flatten into a round shape; pressing with a lightly floured roller pin over a lightly floured work surface.  Pie crust should be larger in size than pan, by a few centimetres, dangling all around the edges.  Snug dough well inside a 25 centimetre pie pan.  Trim extra dough by means of a knife; cutting around the rim.  Corrugate by hand the crust edges, or press them with a fork or by your thumb, all around.  Fill base of crust with prepared filling.  Decorate top with some reserved pecan halves and/or a few date halves.  Bake into a preheated oven at 170 degrees until edges start to slightly golden and filling is set; (approximately one hour).  Remove from oven and serve hot with vanilla ice-cream, cream, or plain; either warm or cold.  Happy thanksgiving .. !!

* A version of this article appears in print in the 28 November, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly