Don’t let the startling geometry fool you. Today’s Banana Tart is for those who like mellow desserts. Big bites of health. An entire banana tree in the belly, topped off with delicate lattice goodness.
I know. It’s craziness.
You can thank the dreamy island of Mauritius, way out in the Indian Ocean, for teaching me this ingenious way to use up ripe bananas. The ingredient list is so simple and pure, I almost can’t believe it. Bananas, barely a smattering of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and a vanilla bean.
That’s it.
Let’s just say I’d be proud to serve this tart to the tiniest tot.
Now, if you’ll kindly excuse me, I’ll be in the corner, daydreaming about going back in time so I can bring this tart to Ava’s first birthday party. The dense mashed banana would have made a fantastic, healthy first birthday “cake” (you could probably even leave the sugar out without harming the taste – just use very ripe bananas).
P.S. If you’d rather, you can always fly to Mauritius, where you’ll find tray after tray of the pretty tarts in the local bakeries. Just save me a few.
Port Louis, Mauritius. Photos by Simisa & Thierry
Ingredients:
1 recipe prepared pie dough
10 bananas
4 tbsp brown sugar (more if bananas aren’t very sweet)
scrapings of 1 vanilla bean
pinch salt
red, blue, and yellow food coloring (optional)
egg wash:
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
Method:
Get your monkey fingers ready. We’re going to peel a bushel of bananas. Place the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Next, scrape out the vanilla bean and add its black, sparkling caviar to the bananas along with the brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Enjoy the glorious aroma. Smile.
Now, mash everything together a bit (you can leave the bananas somewhat chunky). Then cook the mixture in a pot over medium/low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until quite dried out and thickened. Stir frequently to avoid burning, lowering heat as needed.
In a small bowl, mix together one drop each of the red, yellow and blue food coloring to make brown. Adjust as needed to get the exact color you’d like. Then, stir the color into the banana mixture – a little at a time – until darkened enough to stand out from the wheat-colored crust.
Preheat the oven to 350F and set the banana mixture aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, roll out 1/2 the prepared pie dough and line the bottom of an 8″ tart pan. Add the banana filling, using a spatula to smooth the top of the mixture as much as possible (it is nice if the tart has a slightly domed shape).
Next, roll out the rest of the dough and, using a ruler, cut long strips. 
Criss cross the strips over each other without stretching the dough. If you stretch it, it will spring back while baking and pull away from the edges when baked. Use your thumb to seal each strip against the edge of the tin and press off extra dough.
Don’t forget to nibble the extras. I won’t tell.
Brush with egg wash and bake until golden (about 45 minutes).
I like this tart any which way – warm, room temperature or chilled. It’s all good.
Enjoy, and if you have a sweet baby to share the tart with, even better.
Happy bananas to you!
- 1 prepared pie dough
- 10 bananas
- 4 tsp brown sugar , more if bananas aren't sweet
- 1 vanilla bean (scrapings)
- 1 pinch salt
- red food coloring , optional
- blue food coloring , optional
- yellow food coloring , optional
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 Tbsp water
- Peel bananas and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add brown sugar, salt and vanilla bean scrapings to the bananas and mash together.
- Cook the mixture in a pot over medium/low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until quite dried out and thickened. Stir frequently to avoid burning, lowering heat as needed.
- In a small bowl, mix together one drop each of the red, yellow and blue food coloring to make brown. Adjust as needed to get the exact color you'd like.
- Stir the color into the banana mixture - a little at a time - until darkened enough to stand out from the wheat-colored crust.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Set the banana mixture aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, roll out 1/2 the prepared pie dough and line the bottom of an 8" tart pan.
- Add the banana filling, using a spatula to smooth the top of the mixture as much as possible (it is nice if the tart has a slightly domed shape).
- Next, roll out the rest of the dough and, using a ruler, cut long strips.
- Criss-cross the strips over each other without stretching the dough.
- Use your thumb to seal each strip against the edge of the tin and press off extra dough.
- Brush with egg wash and bake until golden (about 45 minutes).
You made one amazing looking tart girl! Sounds like a great new way to use up ripe bananas, finally an alternative to banana bread (as much as I love it). Did you know, by the way, that monkeys open bananas from the tip instead of the stem? I tried and it actually makes perfect sense. :o)
I did not know that… interesting! I wonder if there are cultures of people who do the same thing because of watching the monkeys…
my 2 yr old daughter, finds it much easier.
my 2 yr old daughter does that , finds it much easier.
I’m going to see what Ava thinks but I need to restock first 🙂
Could chopped nuts or dried fruit be added to the bananas for texture, or is the tart quite firm?
You could play around with this for sure….raisins might be nice, but nuts might be too much of a contrast the the filling. It’s thicker and denser than chocolate pudding pie – I can’t even think of what to liken it to. Maybe playdough (ha ha)… jk.
The secret is in the scraped vanilla bean – finally a way to use this…other than sticking in a container of sugar….
Oh, no – it doesn’t go in the tart… just the caviar does. We’ll have to find another way, another time!
Anything banana and I’m there…this is so simple and gorgeous! Interesting trick with the food coloring.
Yes – I almost added it straight to the bananas, and then I thought… hmm… this could be dangerous ha. In Mauritius they use some sort of gravy browner (which I believe they also use in places like England and Australia). I didn’t see any in Tulsa, although who knows, I may have missed it.
Do you think adding a bit of cocoa instead could work for colour? Too much flavour, maybe? I could track down the gravy browner since I live in England I guess, but it sounds way more dangerous than a bit of food colouring. Thank you 🙂
I think it would be a great addition flavor-wise. You could always stir a drop into a small spoonful of the cooked mixture, taste it and… if you like it, add some to the rest.
Your daughter is an awesome writer! I love her style.
Thank you,
Stephanie
Stephanie Maggiani
Senior Assistant Manager
Boston College Dining Services
Thanks to Stephanie!
We gotta share this! It really looks delicious!
It’s as good as it looks 😉
wow..amazing! I usually freeze my old bananas..and wait for those moment to make a banana bread…I wonder if those bananas would be ok to use in this pie, as they are’nt what you would call “freshly ripe” and hey ..I gotta share this with Chiquits bananas facebook page…. <3
I think they might be okay – and great idea – thank you for sharing, sis xo
This was absolutely wonderful Sasha. I had my mom and 12 year old sister try it too – they both enjoyed! Beautiful and tasty… or good 😉
Thank you for sharing!
You are welcome and I’m glad everyone enjoyed it. Happy day to you!
Thanks for sharing this banana tart to the world. This was in fact the first thing that I learnt to bake as a kid in Mauritius. Never heard of the gravy browner in cakes. We use the Madagascan vanilla extract for flavour and colour or a spoonful of muscavado sugar for colour.
I also add some grated coconut and a spoonful of dark rum to my banana mix. This tart brings some childhood memories. Thanks x