-
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-
2
If you are using an aluminum baking sheet, cover the bottom with parchment paper or Silpat, so that the potatoes wont discolor and turn brown while baking.
-
3
If you are using a ceramic or stainless-steel baking sheet, you dont need to cover the bottom.
-
4
Slice each sweet potato in half, lengthwise, and place face down on the tray.
-
5
Bake until they are soft, about 35 to 45 minutes.
-
6
Remove and allow to cool.
-
7
Increase the heat in the oven to 400 degrees, place the pitted olives on a small baking sheet, and bake until they become hard and brittle, about 20 to 25 minutes.
-
8
While the olives are baking, place a medium-size saute pan with a heavy bottom over medium heat.
-
9
Add the butter and brown it until it turns a hazelnut color and has a nutty fragrance, about 5 to 6 minutes.
-
10
Add the chopped shallots and allow to cook for about 3 minutes until translucent.
-
11
Be careful not to burn the butter.
-
12
When the sweet potatoes are cool, scoop out the insides and place in a bowl.
-
13
Pour the butter and shallot mixture over the sweet potatoes, and mix.
-
14
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, going lightly on the salt since the olives, which are added at the end, are salty.
-
15
Place the sweet potato mix in a baking dish so that the sweet potatoes are one-inch thick.
-
16
Spread the creamy goat cheese, in shallow dollops, over the sweet potatoes so that the sweet potatoes are clearly visible, at the edges and elsewhere.
-
17
Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese and potatoes start to brown in some spots, about 15 minutes.
-
18
The gratin wont brown like a traditional potato gratin; the colors of the sweet potatoes and the goat cheese will still be very present, but the goat cheese will turn beige, and the potatoes will begin to brown a bit.
-
19
Once the olives are cool, chop them finely, and mix with the olive oil and the chopped basil.
-
20
Spoon the olive mixture over the sweet potatoes and serve.
