Hammie Sammies on Sweet Potato Biscuits

I normally wouldn't post two recipes in a row, but I'm so excited about this one. 


BSD works odd hours so we often "do lunch" instead of date nights. No worries about babysitters that way. And the same food costs almost half the price.

A few weeks ago we went to a little cafe that cooks by the "Buy Local, Eat Fresh" motto. I had to try the sweet potato biscuits when I saw it on the special's board. C'mon "sweet potato biscuits?" The name alone is adorable! And the little hammie sammie (along with a tiny green salad and ramekin of lentil soup) they served me did not disappoint. I haven't stopped thinking about those biscuits since.

BSD hasn't been free for lunch lately so I decided to try making them myself. And I hit pay dirt! I just whipped up a dozen, and with the help of the butcher, I figured out the proper ham to use. 

I've already eaten one biscuit plus two hammie sammies. I think I'm going to explode. But it was so worth it.  They were warm out of the oven and oh, so moist. The "country ham" smells a bit funky, but tastes a lot like prosciutto to this Yankee with European roots. I slathered them up with some peach jam and jammed them into my mouth.

Try them! Trust me. You don't have to be a sweet potato lover to like them. You don't even have to make hammie sammies out of them. 

Eat them plain,

With a little butter,

Or a little jam. 

Eat them for breakfast, 

or lunch or dinner.

Just eat them, eat them, 

Sam I am!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

makes 12

 

1 cup mashed baked sweet potato (1 large) (I just nuked it in the microwave about 8 min.)
2/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted (I only had salted tonight. Worked fine.)
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Parchment paper

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.*
• In a medium bowl, mix the sweet potato, milk and butter.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
• Gently mix the dry ingredients into the sweet potato mixture to form a soft dough.
• Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a deep golden orange tinged with brown.
• Serve warm or let cool on a wire rack.

* The picture above shows the dough on a greased baking sheet. I have since discovered that they cook better without greasing the pan. Just line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

NOTE: The ham is called "Country Ham." I bought it sliced THIN at the deli counter. The label read "Red Eye," but I think the brand was Smithfield. That may be a local Virginia brand, though. If you're making them for a BIG party, you can buy a whole ham. It comes in a cloth bag here and is not refrigerated. This is a cured, smoked? ham. Salty taste, but luckily, not overbearing. It really is a lot like prosciutto.