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 .. !!
