Sweet Potato Puree with Streusel Topping Bob Kramer bkramer@lacademy.edu INGREDIENTS • 5 large sweet potatoes • 6-8 oz. dried California apricots* • 1 Tbs. granulated sugar • 1 Tbs. flour • 1/3 cup light brown sugar • 2/3 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped INSTRUCTIONS 1. Prick potatoes and bake for 1 ½ hours at 450°F. Meanwhile, place apricots in a saucepan, cover with cold water (until water is about 1” above apricots), and simmer for about 30 minutes, until soft. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the cooking liquid. 2. Transfer apricots to a food processor (a mini-Cuisinart works well if you have one) and puree them with the 2 Tbs. cooking liquid and 1 Tbs. sugar until smooth. 3. Scoop sweet potato flesh into a large bowl. Add apricot puree and a pinch of salt, and beat with a handheld electric mixer until smooth. Spread the mixture in a greased casserole dish. At this point, you can store the dish in the refrigerator overnight if you are making it ahead. 4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Blend flour, brown sugar, and pecans with fingers until well combined. Crumble over puree. Bake until heated through – about 15-20 minutes. * California apricots really work best in this recipe since they are more tangy than Turkish apricots. California apricots are usually in stock at Idylwilde in Acton.