A savory sweet-potato casserole joins Southern Living’s Friendsgiving picks

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Southern Living’s November 3 Friendsgiving roundup includes Savory Sweet Potato Casserole among ten dishes its editors plan to bring to a potluck. This version skips the marshmallow topping and balances the potatoes with a pecan, sourdough and Parmigiano-Reggiano streusel. The original recipe was developed by Paige Grandjean; Katie Rosenhouse wrote the recipe tips.

Yield and timing: 8 servings; 25 minutes active time; 2 hours 55 minutes total. Equipment: an oven, a foil-lined baking sheet, a fork, a medium bowl and a lightly greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

Ingredients: 5 lb sweet potatoes (5 to 6 large); 1 large shallot (about 1 1/2 oz), grated (1 1/2 Tbsp); 1/3 cup whole milk; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and divided; 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided; 1 1/4 tsp black pepper, divided; 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped pecan halves; 1 1/2 cups coarsely ground day-old sourdough breadcrumbs (2 1/2 oz); 2 oz shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/2 cup); and 1 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Method: Heat the oven to 350°F. Set the sweet potatoes on the foil-lined baking sheet and roast until very tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool for 30 minutes, then peel. Mix the potatoes with the shallot, milk, eggs, sage, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the melted butter, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper; spread in the prepared dish.

For the topping, combine the pecans, breadcrumbs, cheese and remaining 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Scatter it evenly over the filling and bake uncovered at 350°F for 28 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Finish with the parsley.

Make-ahead and storage: assemble through the topping stage, cover and refrigerate overnight; when ready to bake, let the dish stand at room temperature while the oven heats, then bake for about 45 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days. For reheating, let the dish stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, then bake at 350°F until hot throughout. The recipe suggests stale country-white, French or Italian bread in place of sourdough; panko is an option but changes the texture. Thyme, rosemary or parsley can replace sage, and walnuts can replace pecans. These are optional variations, not the original ingredient list.