The Pen Patat

by Ndanu Mbunga

Cutting the pie

The Pen patat is a rich dessert from Haiti. My friend Dr. Wandia asked me to make it for her class and I was both stressed and delighted. Stressed because it was actually sweet potato pie which was a whole new concept to me and delighted because the thrill of the possibility of actually making it well was so cool.

Wandia sent me the recipe and I remember taking leave just so I could bake it and attend the class too. The hardest part of making the Pen patat was grating the sweet potatoes. Grating raw sweet potatoes is tiring and quite messy too. The peeled sweet potatoes begin to turn color and I could not help like feel I was doing something wrong. I finished the grating and followed the recipe to the letter after which I put the mixture in the oven. It took nearly 2 hours to dry in the oven and I was going to bed at nearly 3am.

Everything paid off during the class when I saw everyone enjoying the pie. It turned out great and with a few tweaks, it is something I could gladly make again especially for my parents. It is a new way to prepare the sweet potatoes they love so much

I was amazed at how much work and detail Haitians put into preparing their food. They definitely take their food and culture seriously. It was an honour to be part of them in this small way! Here goes the recipe. The foodies and kitchen lovers can definitely try it out....