A sweetened mixture containing eggs creates the filling for these pies.  Some egg-based fillings are baked in an unbaked crust while some fillings are cooked on the stovetop and poured into a prebaked crust.

Pumpkin, sweet potato, banana cream—they’re all tops when it comes to pie.

Sometimes pie crusts don’t behave well and can rise in an unseemly way.

• To prevent this, carefully ease the pastry circle into the pie plate and make sure air isn’t trapped between the pastry and plate.
• Also check that there are no tears in the crust that will allow unbaked filling to seep through the crust and cause it to rise.
  

If your baked pumpkin or sweet potato pie separates from the crust or develops a split in the center, it's a sign that the pie was baked too long or at too high a temperature.

Test for doneness 1 inch from the pie edge using a knife; the knife should come out clean.