This recipe features thinly sliced tender sweet potatoes perfectly seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves and blanketed in caramelized brown sugar, sweet, creamy butter, and candied pecans. It is truly a special occasion side dish that is also excellent to serve with virtually any meal.
Use a mandoline, a food processor with a slicing blade, or a sharp knife to slice the potatoes an eighth of an inch or as thinly as possible.
Spray a 9" round baking dish with two-and-a-half to three-inch sides or a cast iron skillet lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the sweet potato slices around the dish in a circular pattern. Set aside.
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly over the sweet potato slices. Top evenly with the cubes of butter.
Cover the dish with either aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 75 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and remove the foil or lid. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the top and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For the most uniform sweet potato slices, try to choose potatoes that are approximately the same size in diameter and length. Longer potatoes which are about three inches in diameter, work better than shorter, fatter potatoes.A mandoline or food processor with a slicing blade makes it easy to slice the potatoes uniformly, but if you don't have either one, you can certainly use a sharp knife. Thicker slices will just mean this casserole will take a little longer to cook.To save time, you can leave the peel on the potatoes.I do not recommend substituting canned yams or sweet potatoes for fresh ones in this recipe.To make this recipe ahead, follow the directions to prepare this casserole, but do not bake it, and do not add the toppings. Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Before baking, add the toppings and then bake as directed.Leftovers can be stored and covered in the fridge for up to five days. They can be reheated in a 350° F oven for about 20 minutes or until they are warmed through. Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave for a minute or two.Instead of topping this dish with candied pecans, you can substitute roasted pecans or even crumbled pecan pralines.