Ingredients

Crust

2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Pie

2 cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups milk (I used almond milk)

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod and beans reserved

3 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

½ cup cornstarch

9 medium bananas, ripe but firm, sliced into ½ inch thick slices

1 recipe Italian meringue

Preparation

Make the pastry cream:

-In a large saucepan, combine cream, milk, ½ cup sugar, and vanilla bean pod and seeds.

-Bring to a slow boil, whisking frequently. Remove from heat.

-In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup sugar until lightened in color and texture.

-Slowly whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Do not stop whisking.

-Then, slowly add the egg mixture to the hot cream mixture in the pan, whisking constantly.

-Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the cream has thickened substantially, about 5 minutes.

-Pour into a medium bowl. Allow to cool at room temperature about 30 minutes.

-Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming

-Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Make the crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

-In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. -Pour into a pie pan and press in firmly with your hands, going all the way up the sides. -Using a measuring cup press the bottom in very firmly. -Bake for 15-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.

Assemble the pie. -Remove the vanilla bean pod from the pastry cream. -Spread ½ cup pastry cream over the bottom of the cooled crust, smoothing into an even layer with a rubber spatula. -Cover with bananas in a circular pattern. Press down on the bananas firmly but gently. -Spread ¾ cup cream over the bananas, then cover with another layer of bananas and press down on them. -Spread another ¾ cup cream over this layer of bananas and layer remaining bananas over the top, leaving about ½ inch border. -Press down on bananas before topping with remaining cream. -Cover the bananas entirely with the cream or they will brown. -Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.