Recipes Desserts Yelapa-Style Banana Pie (Pay de Plátano de Yelapa) 4.0 (1) 5 Reviews What’s better than sipping a good paloma while relaxing to the sounds of the sapphire-blue waves on a secluded beach only reachable by boat? How about a freshly baked pie made with fruit gathered just a few hundred feet away? Yelapa, a tiny beach community about 45 minutes away from Puerto Vallarta via water taxi, is known for its tropical pies. This version from Javier Cabral and Paola Briseño González features caramelized bananas and vanilla custard. The sturdy crust is salted and shortbread-like because the pie has always been eaten while sunbathing, with no utensils around. Take big bites—it’ll taste better. By Javier Cabral Javier Cabral Instagram Javier Cabral is the James Beard Award-winning editor-in-chief of L.A. TACO and associate producer for Netflix's "Las Crónicas Del Taco." The food writer from the barrios of East Los Angeles has been reporting on Mexican food and culture since 2005, co-authoring "Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico" and "Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Paola Briseño González Paola Briseño González Paola Briseño González is an avid cook from Puerto Vallarta, México, whose cooking reflects her coastal roots and is fueled by her background in food anthropology and classical culinary training. When she is not organizing food festivals or cooking the perfect soft-scrambled eggs for singer J Balvin as his personal chef, she is the Director of Awards and Culinary Events at the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, a punk rock food writer, and her Old English Sheepdog, Fig. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 1, 2018 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email (Pay de Plátano de Yelapa)What’s better than sipping a good paloma while relaxing to the sound of sapphire-blue waves on a secluded beach only reachable by boat? How about a freshly baked pie made with fruit gathered just a few hundred feet away? Yelapa, a tiny beach community about 45 minutes away from Puerto Vallarta via water taxi, is known for its tropical pies. The sturdy crust is salted and shortbread-like because the pie has always been eaten while sunbathing, with no utensils around. Take big bites—it’ll taste better. Photo: Victor Protasio Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 5 hrs 40 mins Yield: 8 Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 ounces) 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided 1/3 cup salted butter (2 2/3 ounces) 1/3 cup vegetable shortening 1/3 cup water 3 large bananas (about 1 pounds), cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices 2 large eggs, at room temperature 3/4 cup whole milk 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise, seeds scraped 1/3 cup granulated sugar (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, and make a well in the center. Set aside. Combine butter, shortening, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, just until butter and shortening are melted, about 2 minutes. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour butter mixture into well in center of flour mixture. Working quickly, use a rubber spatula to stir mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to a clean surface, and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. 2. Combine butter, shortening, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, just until butter and shortening are melted, about 2 minutes. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour butter mixture into well in center of flour mixture. Working quickly, use a rubber spatula to stir mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer dough to a clean surface, and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Place dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper, and roll into a 12-inch (1/4-inch-thick) circle. Remove top sheet of parchment; discard. Use bottom sheet of parchment to lift up dough circle, and carefully flip dough over into a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Remove and discard parchment. Patch tears in dough, if needed. Line pie dough with parchment, and fill with pie weights. Bake in preheated oven until crust is set, about 18 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, and continue baking, pricking crust with a fork to deflate bubbles if needed, until crust is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer piecrust to a wire rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Line piecrust with banana slices. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until completely blended. Add milk, condensed milk, vanilla bean seeds, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; whisk until combined. Carefully pour milk mixture over bananas. Bake at 325°F until edges are set and center is slightly jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes. (Banana slices will rise to top during baking.) Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool. If desired, sprinkle sugar evenly over top of pie. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize sugar. Serve immediately, or chill overnight. Rate it Print