Ingredients
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
2/3 to 1 1/3 cups (7 to 14 ounces) prepared dulce de leche*
3 medium bananas (about 1 1/4 pounds, before peeling)
8 ounces heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee
2 tablespoons sugar (superfine preferred)
Instructions
*For an inauthentic but still delicious substitute, use 8 to 10 ounces caramel (2/3 to 3/4 cup-from a block of caramel, or from a bag of wrapped caramels, unwrapped-melted with 2 tablespoons of milk or cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
CRUST: Use the quiche crust recipe above, rolling it out and nestling it into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the top of the crust, and prick the bottom with a fork or dough docker, then line it with a pie chain or pie weights (or a perforated nesting pie pan) to help the crust holds its shape. Bake the crust in a preheated 375�F oven for 15 minutes. Remove the weights, return the crust to the oven, and continue baking till it’s a very light golden brown, about 15 minutes. (This is called “blind baking.”) Remove the crust from the oven, and if it still managed to bubble, just prick it gently with a fork; it’ll deflate as it cools.
FILLING: Spread the dulce de leche over the bottom of the baked, cooled crust. The greater amount, which the original recipe calls for, will give you a very sweet dessert; the lesser amount (or something in between) may be more suitable to your taste. Just eyeball it while you’re spooning in the dulce or caramel, and quit when you think the layer is thick enough.
Peel three bananas, and halve them lengthwise. Lay them atop the filling, starting in the center and working outwards, cutting the bananas to fit as necessary. If you’re really clever, you can eyeball the bananas’ curves, and pick one that’s curved about the same as your pie plate to form the outermost layer.
Put the cream, sugar, and espresso or coffee powder in a large bowl, and whip it till it’s thick. Spoon it atop the bananas. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it.
