Sweet potato casserole is a much-loved staple of American Thanksgiving feasts. There, sweet potatoes are usually relegated to a sugary, cloying confection topped with marshmallow goo. Not here. At the Ooni HQ kitchen, we’ve reinterpreted them in this spicy-sweet side dish. Warm maple syrup and cinnamon bring sweetness and warmth, while pink peppercorns, Aleppo pepper and harissa spice powder add a fruity pepperiness and earthy, slow-building heat.

For all that flavour, this is an easy Autumn side dish. Baked sweet potatoes get cut into ¼-inch slices and layered in a baking dish, then glazed with spice-infused maple syrup that’s been briefly heated on the stovetop to bloom the peppercorns, cinnamon stick and pepper powders. Later, a refire using the Ooni ovens’ powerful direct flames ensures every bite serves up a mix of crispy, caramelised morsels and tender, soft bits.  In a nod to the original casserole (but without additional sweetness),  a sprinkling of toasted pecans and sea salt get added post-bake. Leftovers, should you have any, also just so happen to make for an excellent pizza topping.

They’d make a particularly easy topping swap for our Harissa-Spiced Sweet Potato Thanksgiving Pizza. 

This recipe appears in Taking Thanksgiving Classics for a Spin. Find more Thanksgiving recipes here.