Sweet Potato Casserole with Sage and Pecans

Ingredients:

Topping

• 0.5 cups flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp. chopped pecans
• 6-8 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• Zest of 1 orange

Filling

• 1.3 kg sweet potatoes (about 4 medium tubers), unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 0.5 cups flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
• 1 cup mini marshmallows, or more
• 2 eggs

Preparation:

1. Topping:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter, pecans, sage, orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix with your hands until the mixture begins to form a ball.
2. Take a tiny bite; it should be slightly sweet with a hint of salt (like a good chocolate chip cookie!). Add another tiny pinch of salt if needed. Cover the bowl and place in the freezer. Remove the topping from the freezer 5 minutes before using and fluff it with a fork, as if you were fluffing cooked rice.
3. Filling:
   
   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork 6-8 times to a depth of about 0.5 cm. Rub the potatoes with vegetable oil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the skin is darkened, 40-50 minutes.
4. Set aside to cool. By the time the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, the skin will separate from the flesh. Use your hands to carefully peel off the skin and discard. Place the sweet potato flesh in a large bowl along with the cream, flour, brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Mash until smooth.
5. Move the oven rack down one level and turn on the broiler setting. Arrange the marshmallows in a single layer on a baking sheet, place them in the oven, and bake, keeping a close eye on them. When the tops of the marshmallows are charred black and starting to smoke (don't rush, brown tops are good, black ones are better!), quickly remove the baking sheet from the oven.
6. Preheat the oven to 190°C (350°F). Using a silicone spatula, fold the marshmallows into the sweet potato mixture until smooth. Taste and, if needed, add a little more brown sugar, a tablespoon at a time; the filling shouldn't be too sweet, as there will be a topping later. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and add them to the sweet potato mixture.
7. Spread the sweet potato mixture into a 22x32cm baking dish, smoothing the surface. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Serve warm.