I’ve made a number of pies for the holidays, but this one is for the books, and can be cooked on any occasion, not just Thanksgiving!

Sweet potato or pumpkin pie

The sweet potato lends itself naturally to desserts and sweet treats, and in some instances, I prefer it over pumpkin. Both vegetables are high on the list as pantry essentials in most Zimbabwean households but for savoury dishes. They are often boiled and served with peanut butter, greens, or other starch.

I find this limiting; sorry, not sorry! You can do a lot with sweet potatoes.

In connection with the point about peanut butter, I took another direction here. If you're like me, you grew up on peanuts or "groundnuts" but can eat almonds daily. Let's be honest: a dollop of almond butter has the same impact as peanut butter atop a hot bowl of steel-cut oats. However, peanut butter is higher in saturated fats and should be eaten in moderation despite nut butter typically falling into the healthier fat category. In any case, I wanted to lean into mixing peanut butter with pumpkin (classic in Zimbabwean cuisine and in other African kitchens) and marry the almond butter with the sweet potato. The filling is made not just for any crust but one that would fortify the warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, etc.) - gingersnap biscuits. I'll also note that my gogo, aka paternal grandmother, always had ginger biscuits at tea time during my childhood. I have difficulty letting go, but I promise this memory has yielded excellent results.

Unlike other sweet potato pies, this one is a little denser, like pumpkin pie, but not heavy. Also, it is not too sweet, and all you need is a tablespoon or two of whipped cream to enjoy.