AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOLIDAY RECIPES: Sweet Potato Pie . . . Codfish Fritters

Sweet Potato Pie

3 medium sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled while still warm

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon each: vanilla, ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, allspice

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the sweet potatoes with an electric mixer on low speed while the potatoes are still warm. Add the butter; mix well. Beat in the sugars, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; mix well. Pour into the pie crust.

Bake until set and lightly brown on top, about 50 to 60 minutes; cool on wire rack at least 1 hour.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 405 calories, 45 percent of calories from fat, 21 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 83 milligrams cholesterol, 52 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 162 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Source: Adapted from “Food for the Soul,” by the Congregation of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church.

Codfish Fritters

½ pound salt cod (see note)

3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped

½ Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or a few dashes of hot pepper sauce)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup flour

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup milk or water

Vegetable oil for frying

Mix the prepared fish with the scallions, garlic, tomato and pepper. In another bowl, combine the baking powder and flour; stir into the fish mixture. Stir in the egg. Add milk little by little, until the batter combines.

Heat about a ½ inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Drop in batter by the spoonful, taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry and turn when just golden brown. When second side is golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter.

Note: Soak the dried codfish in cold water overnight. Rinse and flake with a fork, removing any bones, before proceeding with the recipe.

Yield: 24 fritters.

Approximate nutritional analysis per fritter (does not include frying oil): 48 calories, 11 percent of calories from fat, 0.6 grams fat (0.2 grams saturated, 0.2 grams monounsaturated), 23.3 milligrams cholesterol, 6.7 grams protein, 3.7 grams carbohydrates, 0.2 grams fiber, 680.9 milligrams sodium.

Source: Adapted from “Eat Caribbean” by Virginia Burke (Simon & Schuster, $22).

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