Banana cream pie (Southern USA)

One of the classic Southern grandma-style pies I'm mad about. It's quite easy to make, it just requires a bit of attention and an hour or so. The delicate flaky shortcrust is filled with a vanilla cream mixed with chopped bananas, then decorated with banana slices, then topped with some whipped cream for the final touch. It's impossible not to love this. Enjoy :)

Last year: nothing
Two years ago: nothing
Three years ago: nothing
Four years ago: Brownie cake with cream cheese frosting and pomegranate tree.
Five years ago: Le fondant au chocolat (French chocolate cake).
Six years ago: Upside down pineapple cake (American).
Seven years ago: Classic Pavlova (Australia and New Zealand).
Eight years ago: Light and colorful field salad and Gottergetränk (Drink of the gods) (German hot chocolate drink).





Ingredients (for a 23 cm or 9 inch pie):

For the crust:

• 250 g flour
• 120 g butter
• 30 g sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

For the filling:

• 500 ml milk
• 150 g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100 g starch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 banana

For decorating: 

• 2 bananas
• 300 ml whipping cream (30% fat)
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. 

Make the crust: Mix the flour and sugar in a medium bowl, then add the cubed butter to it. Mix it with your fingers (by rubbing it in) or with a pastry knife until it all resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk until a dough forms. Press it on the bottom and sides of a tart or pie pan with 23 cm (9 inches) diameter.

Put the shell in the preheated oven and bake it for 20-25 minutes or until done and lightly golden. Take out and allow to cool.

In the meantime, make the vanilla cream: Mix the eggs with the sugar and then with the milk. Put this in a pot over low heat and mix until it starts to vaguely simmer. Then, add the starch, a little at a time, continuing to stir, until it all thickens (5 minutes or so). Remove from the heat, allow to cool a bit, and mix in the vanilla. 

Mix this cream with the banana, cut into slices and then quarters or small-ish dice. 

To assemble the pie, pour the banana-studded vanilla cream in the baked shell. Slice the other two bananas (reserved for decorating) and arrange them over the top.

Whip the cream with the 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer it on top of the pie. It's done. 

(Keep it cool and even serve it cold from the fridge, preferably. It's not only for safekeeping, but it tastes better and it's the way it's meant to be served). Slice and dig in! :)