<P> Sweet potato pie is a traditional dessert, originating in the Southern United States . It is often served during the American holiday season, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas . The pumpkin pie is similar to sweet potato pie in many ways . Pumpkin pie is derived from the lineage of the sweet potato pie recipe and has overshadowed it in some regional cultures . </P> <P> It is made in an open pie shell without a top crust . The filling consists of mashed sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, sugar, spices such as nutmeg, and eggs . Other possible ingredients include vanilla or lemon extracts . The baked custard filling may vary from a light and silky to dense, depending on the recipe's ratio of mashed potato, milk and eggs . </P> <P> Though creamy vegetable pie recipes date back to Medieval Europe, sweet potato pie appears in the southern United States from the early colonial days . Like many sweet potato recipes, sweet potato pie was likely developed by African - American slaves from traditional African cuisine, making it a staple of soul food today . Recipes for sweet potato pie first appeared in printed cookbooks in the 18th century, where it was included with savory vegetable dishes . By the 19th century, sweet potato pie was more commonly classified as a dessert . </P>

Where did the sweet potato pie come from
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