Welcome to the War of the Pies.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Tradition may dictate whether you make yam pie, left, or sweet potato pie, right, for Thanksgiving. Click photo for larger image.

You wouldn't think a simple homemade pie would be a troublemaker, a divisive dessert. Oh, but it is. One camp of fans demands only pumpkin pie for dessert after the Thanksgiving feast. A second camp stands solidly behind sweet potato pie. Yam? Over here.

What pie you prefer depends upon your family's tradition and where you come from.

Northerners tend to favor pumpkin. These pies are often made with whole milk or cream and are sweetened with maple syrup. Many Southerners and African-Americans prefer sweet potato pie made with evaporated milk and a lump or two of butter.

But there are two kinds of sweet potatoes, and that is a source of considerable confusion. The light yellow sweet potato cooks up mealy, but it can be stringy.

The sweeter, moist and more common deep-orange sweet potato is usually referred to, and mislabeled, as a yam. Both have full flavor, gorgeous color, are available year round, cost next to nothing and are packed with good nutrition.

No one outside the United States calls sweet potatoes yams. The misnomer has existed since slaves arrived here from Africa and used a word that sounds like "yam" to designate the American vegetable. Real yams, a tuber that sort of looks like a sweet potato, are grown throughout the tropics.

Truth be told, the meat from pumpkins, sweet potatoes and yams is interchangeable. They can all stand in for each other in a pie recipe. By the time you mix in all of the spices, eggs and milk, it's hard to tell which one it is.

Differences are minor. With pumpkin, you get the convenience of a canned product and a rust-colored pie with a familiar creamy-smooth texture; ambitious folks start from scratch and roast a pie pumpkin (yes, there are specially labeled pumpkins that are grown for pie-making) to get the flesh.

Sweet potatoes make a sunny yellow pie with a noticeably heavier texture. Yams make a beautiful orange filling that is more dense than the other two. You pays yer money, you takes yer choice, they say.

We have tested four recipes: the classic back-of-the-can Libby's pumpkin pie, which can also be made with sweet potatoes or yams; a traditional Southern sweet potato pie with molasses; a dairy-free yam pie; and for those who love the filling but always leave the crust, Nigella Lawson's pumpkin custards with pastry dippers.

In the kitchen

To enrich and concentrate their flavor, roast yams and sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. Rinse, dry and set them on a baking tray. Cut a slit in the top of each tuber and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for about an hour or until they are tender when squeezed. (You can also microwave them for about 6 minutes per side.)

Make your own pie crust from scratch. Or to save time, use rolled, premade pie crust from the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Remember to crimp the edge fairly high to contain the filling without spilling.

If the oven is too hot or you overbake the pies, the eggs in the custard will exude water. The result is a soggy crust.

Here's how to avoid that: Pie experts say to look for the subtle sheen differences on the surface of the pie. When the pie is done, the outer area will have puffed a little, and the edges of the pie will have a slight sheen, although the center portion might not. If you can get the pie out of the oven while the center still has a shiny surface, it should be perfectly baked.

Do not freeze the baked pie, as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.

To garnish, drift wedges of pie with softly whipped heavy cream. It can be sweetened with superfine sugar and vanilla, as well as with maple syrup or honey. Some cooks prefer a marshmallow topping on their pies. To make that topping, remove it from the oven five minutes or so before the pie is done, and cover the surface with a layer of large marshmallows. Return the pie to the oven until the marshmallows have puffed and begun to brown.

With all these great options, take the PG's advice for Thanksgiving dessert this year: Make pies, not war.

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LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN, YAM OR SWEET POTATO PIE

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This recipe is right off the pumpkin can, and it is the most frequently made pie in America. To customize it, substitute the same amount of cooked yams or sweet potatoes, but cut back on the sugar. There are no tricks, no secrets, just a straightforward approach with a creamy texture and familiar taste. The liquid is evaporated milk, which -- because it contains less water than fresh milk -- contributes to the smooth texture.

• Pie crust for a 9-inch single-crust pie, refrigerated
  
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• One 15-ounce can Libby's pumpkin or 2 cups (scant) roasted and mashed yams or sweet potatoes
  
• One 12-ounce can Nestle Carnation evaporated milk
  
• Freshly whipped cream for garnish

If you haven't already, prepare the pastry and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

Roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Invert the pastry over a 9-inch standard pie pan and center. Tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and crimp the edge into an upstanding ridge. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the sugar, salt and spices in a small bowl, and beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin or potatoes and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Pour into the chilled pie shell.

Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part that was facing the back of the oven now faces forward. Continue to bake until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours. Serve right away, or cover with loosely tented aluminum foil and refrigerate before serving. Garnish with whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

-- Nestle

SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE

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Use sweet potatoes or yams in this traditional pie, and use the food processor for the smoothest texture. The molasses will darken the filling somewhat. Fans say it has a depth of flavor not equaled in its pumpkin cousin. Take the time to partially bake the crust to insure crispness.

• Crust for a 9-inch single-crust pie
  
• 2 cups (scant) roasted and mashed sweet potato or yam
  
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature.
  
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
  
• 1 tablespoon molasses
  
• 1/2 tablespoon grated orange zest
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

Roast the sweet potatoes or yams for about 1 hour in a preheated 400-degree oven until very tender, or microwave about 6 minutes on each side. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Measure 2 cups scant. This can be done in advance.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out pastry to a 12-inch round. Fit the round into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim excess dough and crimp the edge around the rim. Line the crust with aluminum foil, gently pressing. Fill the foil with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and lift out the foil liner and its contents. Return the crust to the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove and set aside to cool to room temperature, but leave the oven on at 400 degrees.

Combine the puree and butter in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir until the butter melts. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, half-and-half, molasses, orange zest, spices and salt. Mix thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the baked crust. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 35 minutes more, until the pie is browned and the center is set.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

-- Adapted from "The Neighborhood Bakeshop," by Jill Van Cleave

GOLDEN YAM PIE

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Golden yam pie with honey whipped cream makes a hearty finish to a holiday meal. The filling, which contains no milk, is so dense with baked yams that one slice could qualify as a serving or two of a basic food group. The filling can be made a day in advance. Fragrant with spices and as soft-hued as an autumn sunset, golden yam pie is a welcome change and a good substitute for pumpkin custard pie.

• 2 cups mashed, cooked yams (about 2 large)
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature
  
• 2/3 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  
• Pinch cloves
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roast the yams in a 400-degree oven until tender; peel and mash them. Combine yams, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, spices, salt and eggs. Mix well. This can be made in advance.

Spoon into unbaked pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the temperature immediately to 350 degrees and continue baking for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden. Cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream flavored with honey and a pinch of cinnamon.

-- Marlene Parrish

PUMPKIN POTS WITH PIE CRUST LEAVES

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This recipe is a fun alternative to a big slice of pie. Use the leaves to dip into the pumpkin filling.

• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup whole milk
  
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
  
• Pie Crust Leaves (optional; recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready eight 4-ounce ramekins or straight-sided mini-souffle dishes.

Using a whisk, mix the pumpkin puree and eggs until combined. Add the granulated and brown sugars and mix until combined. Add the pumpkin pie spice, salt, milk and cream and mix until combined.

Divide the pumpkin mixture among the ramekins and bake until the top is dry and lightly browned and a slender knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Timing may vary depending on your oven and the size of the ramekins, so watch closely toward the end of the baking time.

Set aside to cool for an hour. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate overnight and serve chilled. Garnish each pot with Pie Crust Leaves sticking out of the custard. Use the leaves as scoopers.

-- Nigella Lawson

PIE CRUST LEAVES

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On a floured surface, roll out homemade or refrigerated pie dough to a thickness of a little less than 1/4 inch. Using a paring knife or small cookie cutter, cut out leaf shapes.

If desired, use the tip of the knife to draw the leaf spine on the dough, pressing the knife about halfway into the dough.

Brush each leaf lightly with a little beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees till golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container.