Banana cream filling takes practice. There’s a point in the milk simmering, sugar-flour-salt-adding part of the recipe where the mixture can turn into banana cream filling, cream of wheat, or a pancake. It’s like a stem cell.Let’s just say rehearsal is everything. Penelope once read that Catherine Zeta-Jones had to make a pumpkin pie for a Thanksgiving party, and made one three times. A rehearsal, a dress rehearsal, and a performance pie. Apparently it came out pretty well. But sometime later she tried actual cooking and set the kitchen on fire. When Michael Douglas came home and found her sitting in the hallway waiting for the smoke to clear, his love wasn’t diminished but his advice was to stay out of the kitchen. Of course, if you look like CZJ you don’t have to cook. Or do anything. But she works really hard so we like her anyway.Meanwhile, as of this printing Penelope still hadn’t gotten the filling right. Having only achieved the cream of wheat stage, she’s considering asking Meisha if she likes pancakes.To be continued…

Banana Cream Pie

This is a great recipe, it just requires more talent than Penelope currently has. As they say in Harry Potter, “The wand chooses the wizard.”

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Use graham crackers, gingersnaps, biscotti or chocolate wafers (with chocolate wafers use 2 cups of crumbs)

• 1½ cup crumbs
• 2 tbs sugar
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine the crumbs, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and toss together. Add the butter and stir vigorously until blended.Use your fingers to press and pat the mixture over the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.If you like the crust a little more crispy, preheat the oven to 325° and put the pie crust in for 8 mintues. It has to cool completely before filling.Makes one 9 inch pie shell

The Banana Filling

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large, firm ripe bananas
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 325°Stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Set asideIn a heavy saucepan, bring the milk to a simmerPour the sugar mixture into the milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly to keep the mixture smoothWhisk in the eggsCook over moderate heat.Keep stirring or whisking constantly until it boils and thickens, about 7-10 minutesReduce the heat and boil gently for 3 minutes more. Don’t stop stirringRemove from the heat and add the butter, stirring until smooth.Add the vanilla and mix well.Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the wrap against the surface.Chill until set.When you’re ready to serve, peel slices of the banana and mix with the lemon juice.Save a few pieces for the top to garnish the top, and fold the rest of the slices into the chilled fruit filling.Spread the mixture into the crust and garnish with the reserved banana pieces.Makes one 9 inch single crust pieAdapted from Pies & Tarts, The Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library, 1992 Weldon, Owen Inc.