How to Make a Potato Pone
Sweet potato pone has origins in Central America, spreading to Europe via Christopher Columbus. Over time, the sweet potato became a standard crop in the Caribbean and in the southern United States, and is featured prominently in their cuisines. Chock full of vitamin A, the sweet potato is served a number of ways. It is boiled or baked and eaten plain with a touch of butter and salt, or it is combined with other ingredients in casseroles. Sweet potato pone is a pudding-like dish that is spiced in a way that is reminiscent of sweet potato pie or pumpkin pie. Serve this sweet pone as a side dish to accompany turkey or ham, or save it for dessert. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 1 1/2 qt. baking dish
- Nonstick spray
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- Bowl for sweet potatoes
- Vegetable peeler
- Grater
- 1 stick or 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- Bowl for egg mixture
- Whisk or electric mixer
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- Zester
- Mixing spoon
Instructions
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1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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2
Spray baking dish with nonstick spray.
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3
Peel 4 large sweet potatoes and grate them into a bowl, using the largest hole of the grater. Set aside.
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4
Beat the sugar and softened butter in a separate bowl until creamy.
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5
Add eggs, one at a time, into sugar and butter mixture.
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6
Add milk, half and half and spices, mixing briefly after each addition.
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7
Use a zester to remove the zest from the lemon. Sprinkle over grated sweet potatoes.
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8
Hold hands over bowl of grated sweet potatoes and squeeze the lemon, holding seeds back as juice falls through fingers. Discard seeds and lemon rind. Briefly toss grated sweet potatoes to distribute lemon flavors.
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9
Add egg and milk mixture to the grated sweet potatoes, combining well with mixing spoon.
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10
Pour mixture into the baking dish and place in the oven. Bake the sweet potato pone for one hour.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Sweet potato pone is very versatile. Adjust spices to your individual preference.
Grated potatoes are the traditional way to make this pone. To make a quicker version, either boil potatoes and mash them before proceeding with other ingredients, or use canned sweet potatoes, mashed.
Potatoes can be grated using a food processor rather than by hand.
Options for sweetening the sweet potato pone other than white sugar include brown sugar, molasses or honey.
The dimensions of the baking dish and the individual oven-temperature variations will affect cooking time. A shallower dish will cook faster than a deeper one. To avoid under cooking or over cooking, test the pone toward the end of baking time. If toothpick or knife inserted halfway between center and outer edge comes out clean, the pone is done.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
