Saturday, August 28, 2010

Apple Banana Torte

They have these bananas here called apple bananas. They're smaller and firmer than the regular bananas I'm used to. The taste is different too, kind of a tart-sweet. This recipe came from The Hawai'i Farmer's Market Cookbook. According to the book, regular bananas don't really work with this since you have to fry them in butter. I believe you can get apple bananas in the store there but if not, I think you can use plantains too. Let me know.

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 apple bananas, cut in half lengthwise
1 sheet puff pastry or pie dough trimmed to fit pan
cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 400. In large skillet, melt 1 Tbspn butter. Saute half the bananas until golden brown. Remove from heat and saute the rest with the rest of the butter. Spray an 8x8 baking pan and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Lay bananas over sugar, arranging in rows. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Lay pastry over the bananas, making it double thick along the edges. Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cool slightly, then invert tart onto platter. The recipe says to cut it into squares then into triangles. I have no idea why. I would say, just cut it. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 4