Sweet Potato Pie

To make the pie dough: In the work-bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, salt and sugar until combined. Add shortening and pulse for 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1 second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle 4 tablespoon ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on mixture with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if it will not come together.  Flatten dough into  a 4 inch wide disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

Remove dough from refrigerator (if dough has chilled for more then one hour, let stand until mailable). Roll dough on lightly floured work surface to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9 inch pie pan by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling it over the pan.

Working around circumference of pan, press dough carefully into pan by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Trim edge to ½-inch beyond rim of pan. Rolled the trimmed overhang under the dough so that it is even with the lip of the pan. Use the index finger of one hand and the thumb and index finger of the other to create a fluted edge. The edge of the dough should be perpendicular to the edge of the pie plate. Refrigerate pie shell for 40 minutes and then freeze for 20 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove pie shell from freezer and press a doubled 12-inch piece of aluminum foil inside the pie shell, and fold the edges of the foil to shield the fluted edges. Evenly distribute 2 cups of ceramic or metal pie weights over foil. (you can also use dried beans or pennies if you have no pie weights). Bake, leaving foil and weights in place until dough looks dry and light in color, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Carefully, remove foil and weights by gathering sides of soil and pulling up and out. Place pie shell back into the oven and continue baking until lightly golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes more. Remove baked crust from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the sweet potato filling: While the crust is baking in the oven, prick sweet potatoes several times with a fork and place them on a double layer of paper towels in a microwave Cook at full power for 5 minutes, turn each potato over and continue to cook at full power until tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and push the ends towards the middle so it opens up. Scoop out flesh and place in medium bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 2 cups. While potatoes are still hot, add butter and mash with a fork or wooden spoon, making sure that small lumps of potato still remain.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, nutmeg and salt until combined. Stir in bourbon, molasses and vanilla. Whisk in milk. Gradually add egg mixture to sweet potatoes, whisking gently to combine. Set aside.

Cover the bottom of the baked pie shell with 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar. Pour pie filling over the brown sugar. Bake on the lower-middle rack until the filling is set around the edges but the center jiggles slightly when shaken, about 45 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before serving.