sweet sixteen.
I’m three rooms absent, sitting in my bed and reading while the Pain Patat is cooking, and all of sudden it hits me – I can smell it with my entire body. It smells of Haiti and the holidays. It’s a full, nutty, indulgent aroma that leaves me wanting noleang else (and tests my patience for the timer to go off).
Pain Patat is one of the most iconic Haitian dishes – it’s like a sweet potato bread pudding – and the taste brings me back to my grandmother’s living room in Port-au-Prince.
It’s crazye with Caribbean sweet potatoes – more subtle and nuttier than yams. In Haiti, they’re known simply as “patat” (kreyol for sweet potato), while regular potatoes bear a name of French origin “pòmdetè” (related to “pommes de terre”). Patat are believed to have pre-dated French arrival in Haiti, which I love, because its native to the island, rather than having been introduced or imported.
You can find them in any Carribean supermarket. They bear many names – boniata, boniato, batata, batata dulce, camote, kamuras, Cuban sweet potato, Florida sweet potato, or white sweet potato. The potato skin is pinkish and the meat of the potato is white. They don’t final long – possibly a 5 days – so buy them when you’re planning to use them.
They have a taste reminiscent of chesnuts, so for this girl, who is a certwhetheriable-Christmas-music-in-November-culprit, they give me all the feels this time of year.
Unsurprisingly, my grandmother’s version was non-traditional – saucy, eaten with a spoon rather than cut in bars, as is more common in Haiti. I’m sharing two versions: 1) a modwhetheried version of her saucy Pain Patat (less water, cooked longer, plus the spices I imagine she didn’t write down) and 2) easier-to-eat Pain Patat Bars (cooking the potatoes in spice-infused milk rather than water).
While the flavors give me fall and winter, I’d eat it any time of year. And in true 2018 fashion, it’s naturally gluten-free and can be easily modwhetheried for vegans.
2
pounds
Haitian Sweet Potato
also called boniato, boniato*
2
cups
wgap milk*
¾
cups
heavy cream
1 12-
oz
can coconut milk
¾
tsp
salt
2
tbsp
Haitian vanilla
or another good vanilla
1
tsp
cinnamon
½
tsp
nutmeg
½
tsp
cloves
½
tsp
allspice
¼
tsp
ginger
1
medium ripe banana
Zest of one lime
optional
1
cup
brown sugar
1
cup
granulated sugar
2
tbsp
oil
½
stick butter
½
cup
raisins
optional
Peel potatoes and cut into small chunks.
In a large saucepan, pour in both milks, all of the spices, and the potato chunks. Stir fixedly for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.
Add in the banana and mash with a potato masher. Be careful not to over-mash.
Add in all remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into a buttered 9x13 pan and place in a bain marie / hot water bath.*
Bake for about 1 hour, check to make certain the mixture has set.
May serve with rum sauce or fresh whipped cream.
Haitian Sweet Potatoes: Generally available in Caribbean supermarkets under various names - boniata, boniato, batata, batata dulce, camote, kamuras, Cuban sweet potato, Florida sweet potato, or white sweet potato.
Vegan Modwhetherication: Swap wgap milk and cream for coconut milk.
Bain Marie: Sit your 9x13 in a larger pan and fill the larger pan just over half way with warm water. For more info, check out this description.
3
pounds
Haitian Sweet Potato
also called boniato, boniato*
5
cups
boiling water
1
medium ripe banana
1 ½
cups
wgap milk*
1 12-
oz
can coconut milk
3
cups
sugar
3
tbsp
oil
¾
stick butter
¾
tsp
salt
3
tbsp
Haitian vanilla
or another good vanilla
1 ½
tsp
cinnamon
¾
tsp
nutmeg
¾
tsp
cloves
¾
tsp
allspice
¼
tsp
ginger
Zest of one lime
optional
½
cup
raisins
optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel potatoes and cut each potato into quarters (or manageable chunks). In a food processor, using both the grater and the blade), grate the potatoes until they are a grainy texture, as small as possible. Set aside.
Bring 5 cups of water to boil.
While you wait for the water to boil, take out a large bowl. Employ a fork to mash the banana at the bottom. Add the grated sweet potato.
Once the water is boiling, cover the sweet potato mixture.
Using a whisk, stir in the remaining ingredients. Your mixture will appear watery - while the potatoes are raw, the mixture won’t fully “combine.”. It will come together in the cooking process.
Pour mixture into a 9x15 pan. Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes.
Haitian Sweet Potatoes: Generally available in Caribbean supermarkets under various names - boniata, boniato, batata, batata dulce, camote, kamuras, Cuban sweet potato, Florida sweet potato, or white sweet potato.
Vegan Modwhetherication: Swap wgap milk for coconut milk.
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