“Cooking always brings back the memory of everybody just kind of gravitating to the kitchen, laughing and dancing together and chopping vegetables,” says Chef Melanie Lino. The memories she has with her mother and grandmother in the kitchen define her childhood, and to this day, when recreating her nostalgic childhood meals, she leans into the matriarch of the family to ask, “How do I make this just like you?”
Lino’s family is from the Dominican Republic, so many summers have been spent there cooking with the flavors of the island. “My dad’s side of the family lives in the country and are very nature-centered. They have mango trees, papaya trees, avocado trees, plantains and banana trees just growing in their backyards,” she explains. “I like to integrate those flavors into my baking.”
Here, Lino is sharing a recipe for Pan de Batata, which is a white Caribbean sweet potato bread pudding. She elevates it with a topping of Chantilly cream. “I love making these because this is a sweet treat that I grew up eating a lot when I would go to the Dominican Republic. As a kid I would watch women grating coconut and sweet potato by hand and cooking it over a fire,” says
Lino, explaining that the dish has a crisp caramelized exterior but inside it is super-creamy and sweet with lots of spice. “It brings me right back to sitting on the balcony with my grandmother waiting for the ladies who would sell them in huge pans. I would always convince my grandmother to buy me one.”
Calling it a heartwarming treat, Lino says she set out to make her own version of the dessert that she grew up eating. “I know it isn’t just like the ones the ladies were selling but it is pretty darn close, and I am happy about that!” she exclaims. “It is so important to amplify my culture’s cuisine.”
Her business’s name “From Lino” signifies a beautiful little love note and an extension of herself that shows gratitude to her bloodline, offering all of the things that she knows and the roots that she came from. “The beauty of food and cooking is that it is an extension of myself and of my family,” says Lino. “I am creating something with intentional ingredients and somehow it all comes together to create a delicious bite filled with love.”
Locals can find Lino’s treats at pop-ups around the Lehigh Valley. Be sure to follow along on social and online to see where she’ll be next.
Pan de Batata
INGREDIENTS
½ cup full-fat coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
½ Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
½ Tbsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. allspice
½ tsp. anise
¼ tsp. clove
½ tsp. salt
½ stick butter
1 lb. batata (white sweet potato or orange sweet potato)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, fine
½ cup chickpea flour
9x5 bread pan or any vessel you have available to bake with
Nonstick spray
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat coconut milk, whole milk, butter and spices in a saucepan on medium for about 7–10 minutes. Look for a slow simmer/a gentle rolling boil.
Turn off burner after 10 minutes.
Peel and grate your sweet potatoes while the milk is heating. A food processor works great here. (Traditionally this is happening by hand since food processors are not a common piece of equipment in the Dominican Republic.)
Whisk sugar, eggs, coconut flakes, chickpea flour and batata together.
Slow stream milk mixture into the sugar and egg mixture once it isn’t scorching hot, whisking constantly as you slow stream.
Line your bread pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
Pour your combined mixture into your baking vessel, sprinkle the top with granulated or raw sugar (to caramelize the top while baking) and bake for 40–50 minutes or until the top is golden and the batter is thoroughly cooked—no jiggle!
Let it cool for about one hour before serving. Lino recommends topping it with whipped cream or ice cream. Enjoy!
Keep stored in an airtight container (refrigerated) for up to one week.
Published as “Beyond the Menu” in the November 2024 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
