Everybody raved about the sweet-potato souffle," writes Kristina Zaruba of Baltimore, who is seeking the recipe. She explained that she was visiting New Orleans and had lunch at the Piccadilly Cafeteria. "I was with 30 people and this outstanding souffle was served. Everyone raved about the dish. Thank you for your assistance."

Virginia M. Peters of Winchester, Va., responded with a recipe and brief note. "This works great in a high-sided souffle dish," she wrote.

Recipe requests

Connie M. Granger of Arlington, Va., writes that she is looking for a black-pepper cake. "At Christmas, several years ago, a friend in Lexington Park served the cake, which a friend from North Carolina had baked for her. My friend believes it is an old family recipe because the lady who baked it refused to give out the recipe. It was like a poundcake and delicious. Please see if you can locate this recipe for me. I've just got to have it. Smile."

Mary R. Colombo of Springdale, Ark., sent a little note headed by "Things to Do Today." She is age 89 and wants a recipe for potato pancakes that she once made. She remembers peeling and cutting up raw potatoes and adding them to other ingredients in a blender. She can't remember everything that went into the pancakes and says she hopes another reader has this recipe.

If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request for a hard-to-find recipe, write to Ellen Hawks, Recipe Finder, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278. If you send more than one recipe, please put each on a separate sheet of paper with your name, address and daytime phone number. Important: Please list the ingredients in order of use, and note the number of servings each recipe makes. Please type or print contributions. Letters may be edited for clarity.

Sweet-Potato Souffle

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

3 cups mashed sweet potato

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted margarine

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup soft margarine

1/3 cup self-rising flour

Add first 5 ingredients together. Beat well and fold mixture into greased souffle pan. Mix topping ingredients together in a small bowl and sprinkle over top of souffle. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Tester Laura Reiley's comments: "It's a great alternative to traditional sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving. The casserole does not puff up as much as a souffle, but it has a smooth texture with a nice, crunchy topping and a sweet, delicious flavor. It also has the virtue of being a snap to put together, especially if you use unsweetened canned sweet potatoes (not in syrup). If you want a bit more soufflelike 'loft' to the casserole, separate the egg yolks and white, beating the egg whites until stiff, with a pinch of cream of tartar, and then incorporating them gently into the rest of the casserole batter."