Spiced Sweet Potato Tian

When you prepare sweet potatoes like this, you get the best of both worlds: tender, buttery rounds of flesh with crisped, browned edges. To balance the natural sweetness of the potatoes, we toss the slices with vinegar, spices and red pepper flakes, then tuck sliced shallot and sage or rosemary leaves in between the layers. Sweet potatoes can vary greatly in size. Try to choose medium-sized ones of about the same diameter so the slices fit neatly in the pie plate. The quickest way to slice the potatoes is with a mandoline—aim for slices about ⅛-inch thick. Serve this with a pork roast or pork chops, or alongside the roasted turkey on the Thanksgiving table.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, oil, vinegar, coriander and red pepper flakes. Brush half of this mixture on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Arrange the potatoes in 2 concentric rings in the pie plate, shingling and tightly packing the slices.

Step 2

2. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then tuck the shallot slices and sage leaves between the potato slices. Drizzle with the remaining butter mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the potatoes meets just a little resistance, about 40 minutes.

Step 3

3. Uncover and bake until the potatoes are lightly browned and the edges are beginning to crisp and char, another 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. If desired, drizzle with maple syrup just before serving.

Step 4

Don’t worry if you don’t have a mandoline—you can slice the potatoes by hand. Just try to keep the slices thin and even, no thicker than ¼ inch, or they will take longer in the oven.