Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 lbs sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk, anything but skim
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped or broken pecans
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Prick each sweet potato 2 times on 2 sides, then arrange them on the prepared sheet. Bake until the potatoes are tender all the way through, about 60 – 75 minutes.
2. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Slip off the skins, which should come away easily, and move the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Mash them well with a potato masher, or run them through a potato ricer. Let the mash sit for about 5 – 10 minutes so the eggs do not start cooking when they go in.
3. Add the brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, milk, eggs, vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the mixture is nicely combined.
4. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a greased casserole dish, about 12 by 8-inches, and smooth it into an even layer. Set it aside.
5. For the topping, use a fork to mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in a separate medium mixing bowl. If the brown sugar has clumps, break them apart with your fingertips.
6. Drizzle in the melted butter and keep stirring and tossing until everything is evenly dampened. It may look dry at first, but it will come together.
7. Scatter the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.
8. Bake until hot throughout, about 40 minutes. If the topping is getting too dark, loosely cover the dish with foil during the last 10 minutes.
9. Serve warm.